Viterbo Takes Two Games From Presentation in Tripleheader

ONALASKA, Wis. – The Viterbo University Softball team went 2-1 in a tripleheader against Presentation College (SD) to start their final regular season series of the 2023 season. VU took the first game 6-1, the second game 10-2 in six innings, and PC took the third game 3-6. The V-Hawks now sit at 16-26 (10-16 NSAA), while the Saints hold an 11-26 (7-16 NSAA) record.

The V-Hawks would use a huge first inning to take a commanding lead in the first game of the day. Sydney Haakenson's single would bring home Makayla Nortman, who was on third after her own single, a stolen base, and a wild pitch. Haakenson would then score with the help of a Presentation error. Morgan James hit a double through the left side, which scored Channing Manske, and Marissa Carter-Olson had an RBI double to trade spots with James. Courtney Denton had a single that brought in Carter-Olson for the fifth run and sixth hit of the opening frame. That would be followed by three scoreless innings before the saints had a solo home run in the fifth. Haleigh Zanoni responded in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single to score Haakenson again, resulting in the V-Hawks' 6-1 win.

Haakenson would lead the V-Hawks offense, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and scoring twice, while Carter-Olson hit .500, had an RBI, scored and was walked. Victoria Vau had the lone RBI for PC. Morgan Fuhrer earned the win to improve to 6-0 on the year, allowing only two hits over 7.0 innings, while Yulissa Pena recorded the loss.

The Saints would take the lead first in the second game, with an RBI walk in the top of the second. After just one hit over the first three innings, the V-Hawks bats would come alive in the fourth, as Brittany Slocum singled for an RBI to score Manske, Megan Jardine singled to bring home Slocum, Courtney Denton took an RBI walk, Amanda Bogdonovich had a two RBI single, and Manske had a two RBI single of her own, putting Viterbo up 7-1. PC added another run in the fifth as Cassy Loa found home during a Breanna Dunn steal, but the V-Hawks put the game away early, as errors helped Bogdonovich and Nortman find home on a play that started with a steal, and Slocum scored Manske on a double to hit the run rule.

Mankse would go a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBIs and scored twice herself while stealing three bases. Bogdonovic also had two RBIs and scored twice, while getting having a 1.000 on base percentage. Sydney Carter had the only RBI for Presentation. Maddie Wilkey (7-10 )had the win with four strikeouts in 6.0  innings and Sarah Shevenell had the loss.

In the final game of the day, each team would score in the first inning, the Saints on an RBI grounder and the V-Hawks on Nortman reaching home on a Manske RBI single. The V-Hawks then took the lead in the third with a Zanoni two RBI double, bringing in Slocum and Manske. PC used three hits and an error in the top of the fifth to tie the game again, and took the lead in the sixth with two more runs on two more hits and another VU error. They added a final insurance run in the seventh on another two hits, and while Haakenson was walked in the bottom of the final inning, the V-Hawks could not produce another run.

Zanoni had two RBIs on her lone hit of the game, while Manske had one of her own while hitting 50%. Six different Saints had an RBI in the game. Payton Lamont (2-7) recorded the loss, while Lauren Paredes earned the complete game win.

The V-Hawks complete their regular season Sunday, April 30 with the final game of the series. The game is also Senior Day.