HANNIBAL, MO. – Kara Harris (Sr.-Barry, Ill.) had three hits and three RBIs as Iowa Wesleyan College won the opening game of a softball doubleheader against Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) College Thursday afternoon.
The Tigers rolled to a 10-2 win in the first game of the twinbill before falling 2-1 in the second game. Wesleyan, playing for the first time since returning from its spring break trip in Tucson, Ariz., is now 4-10 this season.
IWC opened the afternoon with 13 hits in the first game led by Harris. The Tigers’ number nine hitter was 3-for-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. She drove in two runs with a double in the fourth inning and added an RBI single in the seventh inning.
Leigha Strong (Jr.-Muscatine, Iowa) and Ashley Mysliwiec (Fr.-Antioch, Ill.) also combined for four hits and five RBIs near the top of the IWC order, including the Tigers’ first three runs driven in during the third inning to erase an early 2-0 lead for HLG. Lauren Konop (Fr.-Plano, Ill.) also had an RBI single and Sarah McCleary (So.-Elgin, Ill.) added two hits.
Ayla Serrano (Fr.-Rock Island, Ill.) backed up the hitting with a terrific performance on the mound, throwing a complete game and allowing just six hits while striking out four. Serrano allowed two unearned runs in the first inning and picked up her first collegiate win.
The Tigers could have used a few of those hits in the second game, as IWC had just four hits in the nightcap. Strong had a pair of hits and Molly Ward (So.-Baylis, Ill.) singled in Strong in the fourth for the only run, but the Trojans won in the bottom of the seventh when Marissa Foreman scored the winning run on an error.
Mallory Crane (Jr.-Des Moines, Iowa) started the second game and allowed eight hits but just one earned run in five innings. Trisha Stogdill (Sr.-Winfield, Iowa) pitched one-plus innings and took the loss after allowing the unearned run in the seventh.
The Tigers were scheduled to play at a tourney at McKendree University in Lebanon, Ill., this weekend but have cancelled that trip due to rain. IWC next will attempt to open Midwest Collegiate Conference play on Tuesday against Clarke College at 3 p.m. at the Mapleleaf Athletic Complex.
For more information regarding the IWC basketball programs or any of the Tiger athletic teams, contact sports information director Adam Glatczak (319-385-6306 phone; 319-385-6384 FAX; aglatczak@iwc.edu e-mail) or log on to IWC's athletics web site at www.iwc.edu/athletics.
Box score Game 1 IWC 10 HLG 2
Box score Game 2 HLG 2 IWC 1
