PICTURED ABOVE: Lyndsey Pritchard collected four hits on Thursday.
Winter Garden, Fla. - The Thunder softball team split a pair of matches on Thursday in Wheaton's final day of participation at the NTC Tournament in Central Florida. A late rally by Marywood University cost the Thunder in an 8-7 loss for the Thunder in Thursday's first game. Wheaton wrapped up the trip on with a 12-1 win against Simmons College. Wheaton (7-3) will be off until March 17 in a doubleheader at Aurora University.
In today's 12-1 victory against Simmons, the Thunder scored 12 runs, on nine hits, with two errors and the Sharks had one run, on two hits with five errors. Thunder starting pitcher Katie Thornton (3-3) earned the win in four innings of work. She allowed just one hit, with one run, no earned runs and five strikeouts. Abby Butler worked one inning of scoreless relief with just one hit. Lyndsey Pritchard was 3-for-3, with two runs and one RBI. Alyssa Leonard was 2-for-3 with five RBI and a triple. Katie Yergler hit a home run and drove in three runs in the game.
The Thunder scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Wheaton added nine runs in the bottom of the second inning to increase the lead to 11-0. Wheaton's big inning was highlighted by a three-run homer by Yergler, a three-run triple by Leonard and a run scoring single by Pritchard.
The Sharks countered with a run in the top of the third inning as Wheaton led 11-1. Leonard drove in a run with a RBI-single in the bottom of the fourth inning to account for the 12-1 final score.
In today's opening game, Marywood scored eight runs, on nine hits with two errors and Wheaton scored seven runs, on 11 hits with three errors. Jaclyn McLean pitched four innings, allowing earned runs and three total runs with three hits. Kendall Kehres worked two innings as she allowed four runs, including three earned runs on five hits. Thornton pitched in the seventh innings allowing one unearned run. Christina Sandstedt was 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Hannah Clark was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Wheaton scored two runs in the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead as Yergler led off the game with a triple down the right field line and she scored two batters later on a triple by Ellen Radandt. Radandt later scored on a Marywood error. The Pacers scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the second inning to tie the contest at 2-2.Â
The Thunder added four runs in the top of the third inning to regain the lead with a 6-2 advantage. The inning was highlighted by RBI-singles for Sandstedt and Julia Arthur. Marywood responded with a run in the bottom of the third inning to trim Wheaton's lead to 6-3. The Thunder lead increase to 7-3 in the top of the fourth inning as Pritchard drove in a run with a RBI-single to centerfield.Â
Marywood scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to cut the Thunder lead to 7-6. The Pacers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning to complete the rally and earn the 8-7 win.
