V-Hawks Snap Skid with a Pair of Wins in Arizona

TUCSON, Ariz. – The Viterbo University Softball team have split their first four games at the Tucson Invitational Games this weekend. After dropping a game to University of Jamestown (ND) 5-7 and Embry-Riddle (Ariz.), 2-12, they came back to defeat William Penn (Iowa), 11-2, and avenge their loss, taking down Embry-Riddle, 5-2. The V-Hawks now sit at 3-11 on the year.

Against Jamestown, the Jimmies got on the scoreboard first with an RBI single in the bottom of the first. Kate Olsen's RBI single in the top of the second brought in Morgan James to even the score, but UJ responded with two more in the bottom, a solo homer in the third, and three runs on four hits in the fourth. Marissa Carter-Olson doubled to left center in the fifth, scoring Megan Jardine and Courtney Denton to get the offense going again, then copied that in the seventh, this time scoring Sydney Haakenson and Jardine. However, the rally ended there, Viterbo behind, 5-7.

Carter-Olson led three V-Hawks with multiple hits by adding four RBIs. Mackenzie Lefebvre was 4-of-4 with two RBIs for the Jimmies. Alexis Watson (L, 1-6) recorded three strikeouts, as did Sunny Halsey (W, 1-0).

In the first game against Embry-Riddle, Haakenson would single in the top of the first, bringing in Makayla Nortman, but the Eagles used a huge first inning to take a commanding lead, scoring four runs on three hits. That lead ballooned in the second, with four more hits leading to three more runs. Another Haakenson RBI single brought home Nortman to momentarily stop the bleeding, but the fourth inning saw five more ERU runs, and the 12-2 victory.

Haakenson and Amanda Bogdonovich each recorded two hits, and Nortman scored two runs. Autumn Sulusi went 3-of-3 with four RBIs for the Eagles. Alexis Watson recorded the loss, while Kate Delaney earned the win.

Following a dominant 11-2 win over William Penn, the V-Hawks and Eagles matched up again. This time, after ERU went up 1-0 in the top of the first, Viterbo would respond with two runs coming from a Carter-Olson RBI and Morgan James sacrifice fly RBI. Haakenson doubled in the third, bringing home Jardine, to extend the lead to 3-1. After Embry-Riddle recorded a run in the top of the fourth, Jardine would score on a wild pitch and Morgan Fuhrer's RBI would bring in Haakenson. The Eagles only mustered one more hit, and no more runs.

Jardine led the V-Hawks, going 3-of-4 and scoring three runs, and Haakenson added a pair of hits. Kate Delaney batted 2-of-3. Watson recorded the complete game win for Viterbo, while Claire Streeter (L, 6-2) recorded five strikeouts.

The V-Hawks return to action on Tuesday, Match 12 against Simpson University (Calif.).