Lynn Heitkamp slides into second base ahead of the throw against Simpson on Wednesday for one of her two hits. Photo by Mac Slavin
SETH DRURY ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The Wartburg softball team topped Loras College Saturday, 8-0 and 4-2. The Knights also beat Simpson 3-0 and 4-2 earlier in the week to cap a perfect 4-0 stretch.
In the first game of two against the Duhawks on Saturday, Lexy Determan took the mound looking for win number 11 on the season.
In the bottom of the first the bases were loaded as Emily Braem approached the plate. In her next at bat she singled to left and scored two runs. A third walk in the inning loaded the bases again.
Determan gave herself some insurance runs with a single down the right field line, knocking in two runs.
The offense continued for the Knights in the second inning as the Knights drew two walks, which led to a two-run single by Tina Vande Hoef.
On the mound, Determan continued to sit-down Loras batters as she gave up one walk, one hit and struck out 11 in five innings.
“Lexy has had a lot of solid outings. She pitched great against Loras as well and it has been nice to see her get on a roll throughout this past week and coming into this week,” head coach Kara Kehe said.
Wartburg extended their lead in the fourth inning as Daniels singled to second and was brought home by Vande Hoef who crushed a homer to centerfield to make the score 8-0.
Determan closed out the fifth and the Knights ended the game early winning 8-0.
The second game featured Angela Hartwig on the mound for the Knights.
Wartburg started scoring in the third inning with a Daniels walk. Vande Hoef followed with a single up the middle. A walk loaded the bases and a wild pitch scored Daniels to tie the game at one.
The next run would come in the bottom of the fifth inning. Paige Gerstner started the inning with a single. Two batters later, Beth Schaufenbuel doubled to score Gerstner and make the score 2-1.
In the top of the seventh, Loras pushed across one run to tie the game at two on a double followed by a wild pitch.
“Paige Gerstner had three hits to lead off innings in the second game against Loras and twice those went on to produce runs. I thought it was a great effort on her part and then to have each person execute from there, to push a runner across in the seventh. It really showed their composure that our student-athletes have,” Kehe said.
In the top of the inning, Gerstner continued her successful day at the plate with a double to start the inning. Braem singled and advanced to second on the throw pushing pinch runner Leane Yoder to third. An error by the centerfielder allowed Yoder to score and the Knights to win 3-2.
Hartwig threw seven innings, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out 11. The win improved her record to 12-2 and moved the Knights to 24-2 overall and 5-1 in the Iowa Conference.
“Angela Hartwig did a fantastic job containing the Loras offense as well as she was double digits in strikeouts. It is a big week for us, having three conference doubleheaders and we come out with a 5-1 record,” Kehe said.
Earlier in the week, the Knights squared off against Simpson College at Lynes Field in a doubleheader. In the first game, Determan threw a one-hit complete game shutout. The Knights managed to score a single run in the final three innings to close out the game 3-0. Offensively for the Knights, Lynn Heitkamp and Schaufenbuel both went 2-for-3 at the plate.
“Simpson has a very good team, you take a look at their record, they are another Iowa Conference team with 20 wins. Year in and year out they are a program who plays competitively, so picking up a doubleheader sweep against them is a pretty big boost,” Kehe said.
The second game was a close one as well. Hartwig worked the mound for Wartburg tossing a complete game, giving up two runs on four hits.
The Storm scored one run in the third and seventh innings while the Knights put up two runs in the third and the sixth. Heitkamp led the way for the Knights as she went 2-2 with a double and a home run.
The Knights won the second game of the doubleheader 4-2.
Wartburg travels to Central Tuesday to take on the Dutch, then play host to North Central (Minn.) on Thursday and end the week in Storm Lake to face the Beavers of Buena Vista on Saturday.