Morris, MN - MLC softball dropped a pair of UMAC games on Saturday by the scores of 8-6 to UW-Superior in game one and 11-2 to Bethany in the later contest. The game against the Yellowjackets would go extra innings into the eighth frame, while the Bethany game went six innings.

UW-Superior 8, MLC 6

Game one saw the Yellowjackets gain a 4-0 advantage against MLC heading into the bottom of the second inning. The UW-Superior lead would soon be cut to 4-2 after the Knights knocked in a run in both the second and third inning. Hannah Ott contributed towards the first run, hitting a double to right center field, scoring Lexi Fischer.

The Yellowjackets put up another run in the fourth inning with some small ball techniques, bunting to third base in order to drive in the runner to home plate. However, MLC would respond with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, scoring off of a wild pitch and by another RBI hit from Ott. This time around the rightfielder hit a single up the middle that scored two baserunners. As a result, both squads were evened up at 5-5 and remained tied in the next couple of innings to force extra inning softball.

UW-Superior would utilize two more sacrifice bunts to put runners in scoring position to start the top of the eighth inning. The strategy would prove to work once again as the Yellowjackets scored three runs to make it 8-5. The big hit in the inning came via Zoe Thomson's two-run single with one out.

The Knights had one final chance at tying or winning the game in the bottom half of the inning and received a leadoff triple from Jordyn Heckendorf. The center fielder would get driven in by Lisa Hoffer who doubled to right field with two outs (8-6). The comeback would be denied though, as Fischer struck out to the end the game.

Hoffer led the Knights in hits (4), while Ott went 2-4 with a season-high in runs batted in (3).

Jessica Horn would go the distance on the mound, pitching eight innings for the Knights.


Bethany 11, MLC 2

In game two, the Knights hung tight with their rival in Bethany Lutheran, only down 4-1 through five innings of play. The game wouldn't get away from MLC until late when they surrendered seven runs in the top of the sixth inning. The key plays that turned in favor of the Vikings came from a three-run homerun by Kaija Mork to left field and a two-run double from Elizabeth Cizek.

Bethany took an 11-1 lead going into the bottom half of the sixth inning, but MLC would tack on one more run with Hoffer's solo shot to left center field. The homer gave Hoffer her second homerun of the season, but the Knights would fall 11-2 in the second game.

The win for Bethany gave them their 20th win in a row, while the loss for MLC made them 0-3 against the Vikings on the season.

Horn would almost pitch another complete game, going 5.2 innings on the hill. Hoffer led the MLC offense once again, going 2-3 with two RBI.

Up next for MLC (7-22, 4-13) is their final homestand of the season on Tuesday, May 2, against North Central.