ROCKFORD, Ill. - It was a difficult day for the Rockford University softball team on Saturday at home against the Lakeland College Muskies. The Regents were simply unable to get much going offensively and consequently dropped both games of their doubleheader to Muskies by finals of 10-1 and 6-1.
In game one, the Regents and Muskies sparred back and forth in the first couple of innings before Lakeland used a pair of big innings to put the game away. Lakeland opened the top of the first inning with leadoff triple and then pushed the run across to grab the early 1-0 lead. The lead would not last long as Rockford answered right back with a run of its own in the bottom half of the inning. Mercedes Boykin (Belvidere, Ill./North) began the bottom of the first by drawing a leadoff walk. After a sacrifice bunt moved her to second, Stefaney Kenworthy (Veedersburg, Ind./Fountain Central) singled into right field to place runners on the corners with one out. One batter later, Brittany Bura (Chicago, Ill./Trinity) tied the game at 1-1 with sacrifice fly into deep left field. However, from that point forward the Muskies were in complete control of the game scoring the next 9 runs, including 5 runs in the third inning and 3 runs in the seventh inning, to take game one by a 10-1 final.
The Regents played much better in game two, but once again their bats remained silent. Just like in the opener, Rockford struck for a single run in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Lisa Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago) began the inning by ripping her first triple of the season into deep left field. Two batters later, it was again Brittany Bura who drove in the run for the Regents with an RBI single back up the middle to give Rockford a 1-0 lead. It was a short-lived lead though as Lakeland answered back with a pair of runs in the top of the second take a 2-1 advantage of its own. With neither team able to string together any offense during the next few innings, Rockford had a golden opportunity to at least tie the game in the bottom of the fifth. Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago) got the offense started with a one-out single through the left side of the infield to put a runner on first with the top of the order coming up. After a pop up to the shortstop, Jessica Bjerning (Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein) singled into right field to place runners on the corners for the middle of the Rockford order. However, that is where the rally would end as the next batter flew out to right field. Lakeland then promptly scored a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh innings en route to a 6-1 win.
Despite the loss Brittany Bura pitched well for Rockford in game two throwing her fourth complete game of the season. The sophomore surrendered just 3 earned runs and struck out 3 batters while walking none.
After a day off, the softball team returns to the diamond on Monday, April 21 at Alverno College. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 3:00 p.m.
