DECATUR, Ill. – The UW-Stout Blue Devils battled through two competitive matchups Friday but came up short in both contests at the Workman Softball Classic.
Game 1: Hope 12, UW-Stout 4 (5 innings)
Hope College jumped out to an early lead, scoring six runs in the first inning, and never looked back, defeating UW-Stout 12-4 in five innings. The Blue Devils responded with two runs in the bottom of the first, capitalizing on an error and a sacrifice bunt by Alexa Anderson to score Payton Dolecki. Despite a two-run fourth inning, highlighted by an RBI double from Emma Muehlenbeck, Stout was unable to keep pace with Hope's offense. Samantha Bergeron (1-3) took the loss, allowing six runs in the first inning before being relieved by Maddie Lambert and Nicole Stone.
Game 2: Millikin 8, UW-Stout 7 (8 innings)
In a dramatic second game, UW-Stout rallied from a 5-0 deficit with a seven-run sixth inning, only for Millikin to tie the game in the seventh and walk it off in extra innings. Emma Muehlenbeck and Payton Dolecki provided key hits in the big rally, while Stephanie Kuhn and Grace Vowell each drove in crucial runs. However, Millikin responded with two runs in the seventh before delivering the game-winning hit in the eighth. Anna Blanford (1-3) pitched all 7.1 innings, striking out four but allowing the deciding run in extra innings.
UW-Stout (2-6) will look to bounce back with another doubleheader tomorrow against WashU in St. Louis, Mo.
