The Dordt softball team split games against the Peru State Bobcats (W, 9-4) and the William Penn Statesmen (L, 2-1) in the second weekend of the ASB Dome Classic in Sioux Center, Iowa.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME ONE
The Defenders opened up the first game against Peru State with two straight base runners as
Brooke Rule legged out a bunt single and
Brooklynn Cox worked a walk. After
Chloe Kreuz flied out to center which advanced Rule to third, Cox stole second to put two runners into scoring position,
Annabelle Hensley stepped to the plate and launched a three run homer to left center that gave Dordt an early 3-0 lead.
The Bobcats fought back in the bottom half of the second as Leann Hawkins worked lead-off walk and Casidy Sipek drove her in on a a double to center. After Autumn Dixon advanced Sipek to third and Kloey Hamblen knocked in the runner with an RBI single. Peru State now only trailed by one, 3-2.
Dordt took the lead right back in the third as
Annabelle Hensley doubled down the left field line and
Ashtyn Grissom hit a double off the left field fence to score Hensley.
Lauren Steenstra would reach first on a dropped third strike and an error by the first baseman and
Sierra Pirkey would advance both Grissom and Steenstra with a sacrifice bunt. With runners on second and third,
Taylor Horsham reached safely on a throwing error by the pitcher that scored Grissom and allowed Steenstra to advanced to third. Payton Whipple reached on a fielder's choice and that advanced Horsham to third and scored Steenstra. Payton Whipple then stole second to once again put two runners into scoring position and
Brooke Rule hit a two RBI single to give Dordt an 8-2 lead.
Peru State yet again kept fighting as they led off the bottom of the third with a Jami Mans double and a Kloey Hamblen RBI single. Hamblen eventually stole third and Casidy Sipek drove in Hamblen with a single.
Dordt added an insurance run in the sixth inning after
Ashtyn Grissom singled and
Molly Zylstra pinch ran for Grissom.
Lauren Steenstra grounded out but it advanced Zylstra to second and a
Megan Dickerson ground out advanced Zylstra to third.
Abbey Hitchcock singled and drove in Zylstra to give the Defenders a 9-4 lead.
Alexa Kopaska came in to pitch in the bottom of the third and pitched 4.2 scoreless innings.
By the numbers:
- Dordt scored four nine runs on 13 hits and didn't commit any errors
- Peru State scored four runs on 10 hits and committed five errors
- Bailey Sample pitched 2.1 innings and gave up seven hits, four runs, one walk, and had four strikeouts
- Alexa Kopaska pitched 4.2 innings and gave up three hits, no runs, one walk, and two strikeouts
- Brooke Rule went 3-5 with two RBIs and a run scored
- Annabelle Hensley went 2-5 and hit her first career home run
GAME TWO
Runs came at a premium in game number two as they would fall to the William Penn Statesmen, 2-1. William Penn struck first in the top of the first. Payton Naranjo leadoff the game with a walk and would reach second on a
Chloe Kreuz throwing error. Chelsey Huff hit a single into right field that scored Naranjo.
William Penn added to their lead in the fourth after Jessica Lathrop single to left center and then stole second. After Bailee Rinn beat out an infield single, Lathrop ended up at third. Laila Smith drove in Lathrop with an RBI single to center field to give the Statesmen a 2-0 lead.
Dordt attempted a comeback in the bottom of the fourth as
Lauren Steenstra hit her third homer in two days to cut the lead in half. The Defenders had a chance in the fifth to tie or take the lead but stranded the bases loaded. William Penn would hold on for a 2-1 win.
By the numbers:
- Dordt scoerd one run on four hits and comitted one error
- William Penn scored two runs on seven hits and didn't commit any errors
- Brooke Rule, Brooklynn Cox, and Lauren Steenstra all went 1-3 at the plate
- Lauren Steenstra hit her third home run of the season and third in last two days
- Chloe Kreuz pitched 7.0 innings and gave up two runs, seven hits, four walks. and five strikeouts
