ROCKFORD, ILL.- Looking to build off two solid wins earlier in the week, the Rockford University softball team hosted the Milwaukee School of Engineering Raiders in a Northern Athletics Colligate Conference match-up. Both games were very close and were not decided into the final inning, with game two taking extra innings to be decided.
Earlier this week Sarah Moritz (Heyworth, Ill./Heyworth) pitched a one hit shut-out and she continued her strong performance on the mound in game one against MSOE. She cruised through the Raiders lineup for most of the game only getting into trouble twice. In the top of the second inning she allowed a one out hit and after a fly out and a stolen base another Raider singled and stole second. Facing runners on second and third with two outs, Moritz buckled down and struck out the batter looking to end the inning.
Mortiz would not allow another base runner until a one out single in the sixth but the next batter fouled out. In the seventh inning MSOE finally got to Mortiz. She allowed a lead-off single and after a sacrifice bunt the Raiders scored the first run of the game with a RBI double. Not to be out done on the mound, the Raiders pitcher shutdown Rockford's offense for most of the game; allowing only three base runners in the first six innings. Down one run heading into the bottom of the seventh inning the Regents were looking for a spark to wake up their bats.
Jessica Bjerning (Wauconda, Ill./Mundelein), the Regents leading hitter, started a one out rally with a single. After a fly out Maranda Walker (Rockford, Ill./Boylan) reached on a MSOE fielding error and advanced to second on the throw with Bjerning advancing to third. Freshman Lisa Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago) came up with the chance to not only tie the game but win it with a base hit. She promptly hit a line-drive over the second baseman's head to score both runners and to give Rockford the 2-1 victory. Mortiz finished the game giving up one run on five hits and struck out five in her fourth win of the season.
In game two MSOE and Rockford would not wait until the last inning to score their first runs of the game. The Raiders faced Stefaney Kenworthy (Veedersburg, Ind./Fountain Central) and got to her in the first inning. MSOE singled to start the game and then bunted the runner over. One batter later the Raiders singled in the first run of the game. Rockford struck back with Mercedes Boykin (Belvidere, Ill./North) and Megan Dougherty (Ottawa, Ill./Marquette) starting the bottom half of the first with back-to-back walks. Kenworthy helped her own cause by laying down a bunt to move both runners up a base. One out later, Bjerning stayed hot by ripping a two-run double to right center to put Rockford up 2-1.
MSOE looked to do some damage in the third inning with back-to-back singles to start the inning. Kenworthy appeared to settle down by striking out the Raiders two and three hitters looking. The next Raider batter came through and hit a RBI single to right. Kenworthy struck out the next batter to end the inning. Rockford hurt themselves in the top of the fourth by allowing two base runners to reach base via errors. With two outs, MSOE hit a two-run triple to take a two run lead. Rockford answered in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead in half. Mortiz started things with a single but was cut down at second on Walker's fielder choice. She then stole second. Coming in through the clutch was Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill./Winnebago), who then singled in Walker.
Down one run again in the bottom of the seventh Rockford again looked for some magic to tie the game up. With two outs Dougherty singled to left to start a rally. Kenworthy followed her up with a double to right center to tie the game up but she was thrown out at third base in a run-down. The Regents magic ran out in the eighth inning as MSOE was finally able to string together some hits to score five runs in the inning. Rockford would go down in order in the bottom of the eighth inning to drop game two 9-4.
Rockford plays two more conference games tomorrow, traveling to Concordia Wisconsin with the first game scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m.
