Grace misses chances against No. 11 IWU
MARION, Ind. – Grace’s softball team was unable to generate enough offense in a 4-0 defeat at No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan on Wednesday.
The Lady Lancers were only outhit 7-6 in the loss, but Grace left a staggering 10 runners on base.
The Wildcats (26-8, 11-3 Crossroads League) scored their runs in two innings. IWU benefitted from a Grace error in the third to score twice, and they added two more off a home run in the fourth.
Grace stranded baserunners in each of the first three innings. In the top of the second, Grace had the bases loaded with one out. IWU escaped with a force out at home plate and a fly out.
In the fifth, Grace had runners on second and third but came up empty.
The Lady Lancers (7-19, 3-11 CL) continued to battle even to their last at-bats. Grace put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh with nobody out. But the Wildcats held on, picking up three straight outs to end the game.
Erin Lawhon pitched the first three innings for Grace, allowing four hits and one earned run with three strikeouts.
Hannah Middlebrooks was 1 for 1 as a pinch hitter, and Emily Bobb and Bethany Gardner each hit 1 for 2.
The Lady Lancers are on the road Friday at St. Francis. Grace will then have its home opener on Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Goshen.
