LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Two weeks ago, Grinnell College's softball team was swept by Illinois College in a doubleheader by a combined score of 20-3.
How quickly things can change, and in a good way. In an elimination game of the 2019 Midwest Conference Tournament Friday afternoon at Heritage Park, the Pioneers got a one-out sacrifice fly to left field by
Ashley Wehrenberg '19 that plated
Maddie Matsubara '22 to earn a 1-0 victory over the Lady Blues.
The win sends Grinnell to the second day of action Saturday, something the Pioneers have accomplished in all four of their trips to the MWC Tourney. They will face St. Norbert College in an elimination game at 10 a.m.
Matsubara, who has been on a hitting tear in recent weeks, continued that streak by going 4-of-4 in the game.
Elle Adams '22 was spectacular in getting the complete-game pitching victory. Two weeks after surrendering 11 hits and six earned runs in an 11-2 loss, Adams gave up just two hits to the Lady Blues Friday.
With the win came plenty of school records.
Darice Wheeler '21 established a new Pioneer mark for career walks with 52, breaking the record of 50 by Dacey Waldron from 1993-96. Additionally, Matsubara set new season records for hits with 61 and doubles with 15, and Wehrenberg,
Sidney Litke '19 and
Mya Davis '21 set records for games played and started in a season with 40.
Grinnell threatened a few times in the game, including the second inning when
Emily Jordan's '19 double down the left-field line put runners on second and third with none out and again in the sixth inning when Wehrenberg reached third with one out.
The Pioneers were finally able to dent the scoreboard in the seventh.
Leila Bishop-Parise '21 led off with an infield single and raced to third when Matsubara sent a double down the left-field line. After Wheeler was walked, Davis hit into a fielder's choice before Wehrenberg lifted a fly ball to left field that allowed Matsubara to score and send the Pioneers into celebration.
Earlier in the day, Grinnell spotted top-seeded Lake Forest a 4-0 lead through two innings and couldn't catch up in a 7-3 loss. The Pioneers were only outhit 9-8 in the game, with Litke getting a double and single for Grinnell and Matsubara two singles,
Grinnell got on the board in the fourth inning when Wheeler doubled to left-center, took third on an error and scored on Wehrenberg's groundout. After Lake Forest went up 5-1 in the fifth, the Pioneers inched within 5-3 in the sixth as an error allowed both Wehrenberg and Davis to score. Lake Forest countered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on to win.
The defense was sharp for Grinnell all day, as the Pioneers played errorless ball while improving to 19-21.
Besides Wheeler's walks record, there was plenty more movement on Grinnell's career leader board. Jordan is now second for games played with 141 and Wehrenberg third in games started with 138. Wheeler moved up to seventh for career doubles with 22.
