FOREST CITY – Melissa Vance doubled in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Iowa Wesleyan College softball team lost to Waldorf College 9-8 on Monday in Midwest Collegiate Conference play.
The Warriors tied the game with four runs in the sixth inning and went on to win in extra innings in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader. The second game between IWC and Waldorf was suspended due to rain and lightning.
The Tigers got home runs from Leigha Strong (Jr.-Muscatine, Iowa), Haleigh Hempen (Sr.-Hamilton, Ill.) and Ayla Serrano (Fr.-Rock Island, Ill.), including a grand slam from Serrano during a six-run fourth inning that left IWC with a 7-3 lead. The Warriors scored twice in the fifth, though, and after Strong scored on an error in the sixth, Waldorf scored four times in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game.
Wesleyan loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth inning with the meat of its order coming up but was unable to score. Strong popped up to first base and Hempen came up next and lined out to second base, with the throw back to first also in time for the double play.
In the bottom of the eighth, Waldorf put runners at first and second with one out when Vance came up and hit a double to left field, scoring Laura Read with the winning run. The Warriors improved to 6-3 in MCC play (7-12 overall) while the Tigers fell one game behind Waldorf in the conference standings at 5-4 (13-16 overall).
Strong finished with three hits, scored two runs and drove in two, while Serrano also had two hits and four RBIs. IWC finished with 10 hits, including seven different players getting hits.
Serrano pitched the complete game for Wesleyan and allowed 17 hits and seven earned runs while striking out three. Holly Gilbertson got the win for Waldorf, coming on in the eighth with the bases loaded and stranding all three runners.
The second game between the two teams was tied at 2-2 in the third inning when rain and lightning came along, suspending the game. The game will be replayed at a later date to be announced.
IWC will be on the road again on Tuesday for a doubleheader against St. Ambrose University starting at 3 p.m. in Davenport.
For more information regarding the IWC softball program 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 Waldorf 9 IWC 8 (8 innings)
