ROCKFORD, Ill.- The Rockford University softball team finished its season Tuesday afternoon on a high note. The Regents season was extended a few days to finish a rain suspended conference game against the Wisconsin Lutheran Warriors from last Friday. Rockford won 7-6 in the first game and looked to continue its comeback in game two to secure its first conference sweep of the season.
Last Friday Wisconsin Lutheran started quick out of the gates with two runs in the first inning off of starting pitcher Sarah Rizzo (Monee, Ill.). The Warriors tacked on two more in the top of the third inning. The rains held off just long enough Friday afternoon for the Regents to mount a comeback.
Lynn Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill.) started things with a leadoff walk. She then stole second base and advanced to third on a fielding error on the play. Alexandra Storey (Dexter, Mich.) followed by grounding out to score Blakeley-Snyder. Lisa Blakeley-Snyder (Rockford, Ill.) restarted the rally with another walk. Brittany Bura (Chicago, Ill.) kept things going by reaching base on another Warrior error.
Maranda Walker (Rockford, Ill.) singled to center to load the bases with just one out. A single by Stefaney Kenworthy (Veedersburg, Ind.) drove in the Regents second run of the inning. The rain helped on the play with the ball skipping away from Wisconsin Lutheran's left fielder. Blakeley-Snyder, Bura, and Walker all came around to score on the single and error to tie the game up at four. It had been raining all game Friday afternoon and at the end of the third inning the field could not hold anymore.
Action picked back up in the top of the fourth inning Tuesday afternoon. Senior Sarah Moritz (Heyworth, Ill.) had one final chance to pitch in a collegiate game and she made the most of it. She cruised through the fourth and fifth innings and the score held at 4-4 until the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Warriors poor fielding from Friday carried over to Tuesday. A dropped foul ball resulted in an error and a second chance for Bura, who walked to open the bottom of the fifth inning. Walker singled to put two on with no outs. Kenworthy continued to be clutch and doubled down the right field line to score the go ahead run. Two batters later, Ali Moore (Mascatouch, Ill.) hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Walker and put Rockford up 6-4.
Moritz allowed just one base runner the last two innings to secure the 6-4 win and sweep over Wisconsin Lutheran. Moritz pitched four shutout innings in relief to pick up her fifth win of the season. She allowed just four hits and struck out four batters. Walker finished 2-for-2 with two runs. Bura also scored two runs. Kenworthy had the big bat with two RBI and two hits, including the game winning double.
