CORALVILLE – St. Ambrose University did all of its scoring in two swings and Iowa Wesleyan College was able to muster just three hits as the Queen Bees defeated the Tigers 4-1 in both teams’ Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament opening game Wednesday at the Creekside Softball Complex.
St. Ambrose got a pair of home runs to account for all of its scoring and sent the sixth-seeded Tigers to their first loss in the double-elimination tourney. The #5 seeded Bees advanced to a meeting later on Wednesday night against #2 Waldorf College, losing to the Warriors 3-2 when the potential tying run was cut down at the plate in the seventh inning.
The Tiger offense got off to a good start in the first inning against SAU starter Melissa Krueger, putting a run on the board early when Stephanie Benge (Sr.-Mount Pleasant, Iowa) reached second after the Bees misplayed her slap into left field and Hilarie Droz (Sr.-Ottumwa, Iowa) later drove her in with a double to deep center field.
The rest of the game would be a struggle, though, as IWC could not get the ball out of the infield. Kruger recorded 15 of 21 outs on infield ground outs or line outs. The Ambrose pitcher also recorded four strikeouts and an infield pop out in allowing just four balls put in play in the outfield in the entire game.
St. Ambrose got all it needed in a solo home run by Tara Miller in the first inning and the killer, a three-run homer by Kelly Kratt in the fourth. The Bees posted just six hits in the game as Tiger starter Ashlee Winner (Sr.-Rushville, Ill.) struck out 10, but SAU still posted its fifth straight win over Wesleyan this season.
Benge had two of IWC’s three hits in the game. The Tigers dropped to 20-29 overall and next will face #9 seed Ashford University at 11 a.m. Thursday morning. If Iowa Wesleyan wins it then advances to another elimination game against #3 seed Grand View University at 1:30 p.m.
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 #5 SAU 4 #6 IWC 1
MCC Tournament Bracket
