Carter-Olson Records Two Home Runs in V-Hawks Win

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University Softball team battled Judson University (Ill.) in a pair of nonconference games on Thursday afternoon, dropping the first game, 1-6, then winning the second, 9-3. The V-Hawks now sit at 9-30, while the Eagles are 7-29.

Each team had a single hit over the first two innings, but the Eagles were the first on the board with three runs scored on two hits and two V-Hawk errors. However, in the bottom of the third, the V-Hawks also scored on a Megan Jardine RBI that brought in Makayla Nortman. Judson added two more runs in the top of the fourth, and another in the fifth on a solo homerun. The V-Hawks managed five more baserunners over the final three innings, but none were able to reach home as Viterbo fell, 6-1.

 Nortman, Jardine, Sydney Haakenson, and Alina Gartska all had hits for Viterbo, while three Eagles recorded multiple hits. Alexis Watson (L, 5-12) struck out two batters, as did Amelia Jimenez (W, 4-11).

JU started the second game with an RBI single in the top of the first, but the V-Hawks responded with a two-RBI homer from Marissa Carter-Olson. The V-Hawks extended their lead with a Nortman RBI single in the second, and after a run for the Eagles the third, the V-Hawks broke the game open in the bottom of the frame with a Kate Olsen two-RBI single, a Courtney Denton RBI bunt, a Nortman RBI single, and Olsen scoring on a wild pitch. In the sixth, Judson scored on an RBI single, but Carter-Olson negated the run with her second home run of the game, bringing the final score to 9-3.

Carter-Olson led the way for the V-Hawks with three hits and three RBIs, while Nortman and Grace Elton both had two hits as well. Bella Farias has three hits for the Eagles. Emily Roberts (W, 1-6) secured the win with four K's and Katelyn Kiefer (L, 1-8) recorded the loss.

The V-Hawks return to action this weekend with a series at Bellevue University (Neb.).