GRINNELL, Iowa – Just as Midwest Conference play is kicking off, the Grinnell College softball team is getting hot.
The Pioneers won for the fourth time in their last five outings Sunday at the Softball Complex, stopping Beloit College by scores of 6-4 and 10-1. Grinnell is now 3-1 in the MWC and 6-16 overall, while Beloit dipped to 0-8 in the league and 6-23 in all games.
Pitching was key to both wins, with
Darice Wheeler '21 earning the win in the first game and
Elle Adams '22 picking up the victory in the second.
Emily Jordan '19 had the hot bat in the opener, going 2-of-2 with a triple, double and three RBIs.
Maddie Matsubara '22 and
Ashley Wehrenberg '19 both singled twice. Wheeler scattered nine hits and struck out two while tossing a complete game.
Beloit scored in the third inning, but the Pioneers rebounded with three runs in the bottom as Matsubara and Wehrenberg each had RBI singles to center and Jordan a run-scoring triple to left-center.
Beloit tied things with solo runs in the fourth and fifth, but Grinnell again answered in the bottom of the inning as Jordan bashed a two-run double to left and later scored on an error.
The Pioneers erupted for six runs in the bottom of the first of the second game and never looked back. Wheeler belted two homers, boosting her Grinnell career-leading total to 24. Matsubara and
Mya Davis '21 each had a double and single and Wehrenberg added two singles.
Adams was sharp in earning the pitching win, giving up just six hits and striking out five while going the distance.
Wheeler opened the scoring in the first with a two-run homer to left-center,
Lily Seibert '19 was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, Wehrenberg and
Flynn Johnson '21 scored on an error and Seibert came across on a wild pitch.
Grinnell tacked on two more runs in the second on Wehrenberg's two-run double to left, and put up two more in the fourth on Wheeler's two-run blast to left.
Like several recent games, there was plenty of shuffling on Grinnell's career list. Wehrenberg is third in walks with 42, seventh in fielding assists with 220 and 10th in fielding chances with 454 and games started with 120. Jordan is sixth in games started with 122, eighth in putouts with 335 and 10th in games played with 123. Wheeler moved to fifth in total bases with 171 and sixth in pitching wins with 14.
The Pioneers step out of league play Tuesday with a twin bill at Simpson College in Indianola. Action begins at 5 p.m.
