STORM LAKE, Iowa - Grinnell College's softball team held the lead for most of Thursday's opener against Buena Vista University, but the host Beavers rallied with three runs in the sixth to secure a 4-2 non-conference win.

Grinnell managed three hits in the game, including two by Maddie Matsubara '22. Darice Wheeler '21 had the other hit and also contributed a strong pitching outing, giving up just five hits and two earned runs while striking out six.

The Pioneers broke out to a 2-0 lead with solo runs in the first and third innings. In the first, Leila Bishop-Parise '21 led off with a walk, took second on Matsubara's single, moved to third on Ashley Wehrenberg's '19 sacrifice and scored when Wheeler lifted a sacrifice fly to center.

Wheeler led off the third with a single and moved to second on an error by the left fielder. She stole third and scored when there was an error on the play. The hosts cut the gap in half in the fourth inning before their big sixth.

The Pioneers (2-14) tallied seven hits in the second game which Buena Vista won 9-1, including a triple and single by Bishop-Parise, double and single by Emily Jordan '19 and doubles from Matsubara and Mya Davis '21.

The Beavers (14-6) struck for four runs in the second inning and another in the fourth for a 5-1 edge. Grinnell sliced into that margin in the top of the fifth when Matsubara belted a double and Bishop-Parise followed with a run-scoring triple. However, Buena Vista put together four runs in the bottom of the frame to earn the five-inning win.

The Pioneers saw some movement on the program's career top 10 list during the games. Bishop-Parise is now tied for seventh in triples with six, Flynn Johnson '21 is seventh in putouts with 335 and Jordan is ninth with 325. Wheeler moved into the No. 10 spot for total bases with 155 and Jordan ranks 10th in games started with 118.

Grinnell opens its 2019 home slate Sunday when the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point visits the Softball Complex for two games. The first pitch is at 12:30 p.m.