After starting the season with a two game sweep of Alice Lloyd last week, the IU Southeast softball team took to the Koetter Sports Complex for their first homestand of the year, starting with a doubleheader last Thursday against Cardinal Stritch University.

Game 1

Game one saw the Grenadiers enjoy a 3-0 lead for most of the game, coming on RBI hits from Linsey Keen and Miranda Miller in the second inning, as well as one from Kaitlyn Flowers in the third. Pitcher Emily Weiss kept the Wolves in check through the first four innings, allowing only one run in the span.

The Wolves would battle back in the top of the fifth, starting with Courtney Blumer reaching on a leadoff walk. An infield hit by Sidney Hero and a hit by pitch to Sarah Wilson would load the bases with no outs. Paige Kitzing would come through with an RBI single to bring the Wolves within one. Despite getting two outs by a play at the plate and an infield popup, Weiss would give up a single to Emily Parks, scoring the tying run in Kitzing.

Weiss would end her outing with Lauren Stoch being forced out on second. Becca Schoenung would take over in the sixth, but fared no better, allowing four runs to make it 8-4. The Grenadiers would score a run in the bottom of the seventh, but Justice Kline would fly out to centerfield to end the game.

Wolves’ starter Fatime Sino would twirl a complete game in the victory, allowing four earned runs and striking out four. Weiss would receive a no-decision, giving up four earned runs in five innings, striking out five, and walking three along with two hit batsmen. Schoenung would get the loss after pitching two relief frames, walking four batters. The Grenadiers outhit the Wolves 13-7, including three each from Kendyl Olds and Ashtyn Sharp.

“The girls did a lot of right things in the first game, we were very encouraged by a lot of the younger players, the leadership was good,” Head Coach Joe Witten said, “We just didn’t get timely hits. I think we had about a dozen hits and we just didn’t get them at the right time.”

Game 2

Game two saw the Grenadiers stick with Schoenung in the circle, opposing Stoch. This contest would be back and forth, with each team scoring a run in three consecutive half innings, starting with a Grenadier RBI single by Sharp in the bottom of the third.

Going into the top of the sixth with a 2-1 lead, the Grenadier defense would stumble when Olds was unable to reel in a deep fly ball in centerfield, which was the catalyst of the Wolves scoring two to take 3-2. Weiss would soon come on in relief of Schoenung, getting a force out at second to minimize the damage.

Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Olds’ was on first with one out when Sharp hit a slow roller to the right side of the infield. Using her speed, Olds was just able to beat the throw to second to put the winning run on base. Both runners would later advance into scoring position on a wild pitch to Sydney Seger.

Seger would strike out, leaving the fate of the ballgame in the hands of the shortstop Flowers. She would deliver on the opportunity, hitting a single to left to bring in both runners, giving the Grenadiers a 4-3 walk off victory to split the doubleheader.

“That’s what drives me, close situations because it just builds me up,” Flowers said, “I like to succeed in those situations, so I had my confidence up and knew that I was going to hit it.”

Flowers batted .375 with three RBI total on the day. Sharp would hit .500 between the two games, including a pair of doubles in game one.

The Grenadiers would split a doubleheader against Kentucky Christian the following day, with the latter game being called after six innings due to darkness. They will be back in action on Monday when they host Grace College. Game one is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.