This past weekend, the Blackburn College Softball Team traveled to Moline, Illinois to face three different teams in a tournament held by Augustana College.

On Saturday, the Beavers played their first game against Augustana. Despite being ranked #21 in the nation, the Beavers held their own against this tough team. Though Blackburn remained scoreless, they only allowed one or two runs an inning and managed to have only one error the entire game. The Vikings earned the win in the end, defeating Blackburn 7-0.

In their second game of the day, Blackburn faced Wartburg College. The game started out evenly matched in the first inning, but in the second, Blackburn went on a hitting streak. With three singles, the Beavers brought in five runs, setting the score to 6-3 by the top of the third. As the game continued, Wartburg fought back, trying to break though the Beavers defense, but in the end, they fell short just one point of running the game into extra innings. Blackburn received their first and only win of the tournament, 8-7.

Returning on Sunday, Blackburn faced Wartburg once again, though with a different outcome. Lauren Rhodes hit a home run in the first inning that was soon followed by a single from Amber Byrley that scored Aimee Kerley, bringing the score to 2-1. For the duration of the game, Blackburn couldn't manage to produce anymore runs and was defeated 4-2.

The Beavers last game of the tournament was against Ripon College. Both teams were pretty evenly matched and the Beavers held their own as much as possible. In their last chance to score in the top of the seventh, Blackburn only brought in two of the four runs needed to continue the game. Ripon defeated the Beavers 4-2.

The Blackburn College Softball team is now 4-14 overall and 1-3 in conference. The Beavers face Webster University this Thursday, April 3, at 4pm and 6pm in the teams first home game of the season.