The Dordt University softball team picked up a pair of wins (2-0, 5-2) in a doubleheader sweep played today against Warner (Fla.) on day two of the Defenders spring break in Florida.
The Defenders evened their record to 2-2 on their trip and improved to 12-4 overall. Warner is now 6-9 this season.
Game One: 2-0 Defenders win
Abby Kraemer pitched a complete-game, two-hit shutout in leading the Defenders to a 2-0 win in game one.
Kraemer improved her record to 4-3 and pitched her third shutout of the season, lowering her ERA to 0.73 in 48 innings. Kraemer gave up two singles, walked four and sent the Royals down in order over the final three innings. She struck out a season-high nine batters.
Scoreless into the fifth, the Defenders pushed across both of their runs in the top of the fifth.
Brooklynn Cox hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt put down by
Karli Olsen.
Emma Groen was then hit-by-pitch and both baserunners came in to score on a ball off the bat of
Ivy Terpstra that was misplayed by Warner.
Dordt managed three hits, all singles, off the Royals pitcher, Madalyn Morton (4-4). Koster, Cox and
Chandler Schemper all had one hit for the Defenders offense.
Kylee Toman and Samantha Berube had one hit each for Warner, whose best chance to score happened with runners at first and third and one out in the second inning. Kraemer, however, struck out April Dominguez and got Skyler Thedorson to fly out to Defenders leftfielder
Aurora Tyson to end the threat.
Game Two: 5-2 Defenders win
Dordt scored a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings for a 5-2, come-from-behind win in game two and ensure the sweep against Warner.
Trailing 2-1 after the third inning, the Defenders went ahead for good with a 2-run fifth inning.
Jessica Flaherty led off with a triple and scored on a squeeze bunt put down by
Brooklynn Cox. Cox later scored on a two-out double by
Emma Groen.
Dordt plated two insurance runs, both with two outs, in the sixth inning.
Addison Schmidt and Flaherty hit back-to-back doubles, scoring pinch runner
Cassie Van Otterloo for a 4-2 lead. Flaherty later scored after a Warner error on ball hit by Cox.
Hailey Wilken (6-0) stayed unbeaten and earned her sixth win, giving up six hits and two runs in five innings. Kraemer retired six consecutive Royal hitters over the final two innings to pick up her first save of the season.
Both teams totaled six hits; the Defenders were led by Flaherty who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Groen, Terpstra and Schmidt all had one hit.
Kara Bradley (0-5) pitched well in spite of taking the loss, holding Dordt to four hits and two earned runs in five innings. Warner scored a run in each of the first and third innings; Skyler Thedorson went 1-for-4 with a run scored and Jordan Moore went 2-for-3 at the plate.
Up Next...Dordt will play two more games on Thursday; vs Judson at 1pm and against Carlow at 3:30pm. Both games will be played in Clermont, Fla.
