Softball Wins Opener, Splits Doubleheader

CHATHAM, IL -- The Blackburn College Softball team won the season opener 10-8 on Saturday but dropped the second game to split their doubleheader against Monmouth College. 

Senior Julianna Tabian, juniors Breana Allen and Michelle Hollon, and sophomore Sierra Hiser all scored two runs to lead the BC scoring. Allen posted a team best four runs batted in while Hollon added three. Caroline Gibson led the team with four hits and a home run. 

Senior Shelby Koenig led the team's pitchers with 10 strikeouts in a complete game victory. 

Monmouth scored a run in the first inning and added four more in the third to take a 5-0 lead. BC answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. After two quick outs, Hollon walked. Hiser then singled which advanced Hollon to third. Allen followed with a double to score both Hollon and Hiser. Gibson then homered, scoring Allen to narrow the gap to just 5-4. 

In the next inning both teams added an inning. Blackburn saw Tabian walk then used a Mckenzie Smith single and sacrifice bunt from Koening to reach third. Hollon followed with a sacrifice fly to score Tabian and make it 6-5. The Scots managed to add two more runs in the sixth which gave them an 8-5 lead. 

Smith got things started in the sixth inning getting on due to an error and a walk by Koening to get to second but was thrown out at third on a fielder's choice hit by Hollon. Koening reached second on the play. During the next at bat, Hiser hit a ball that allowed Koening to score due to another Monmouth error. With Hollon on third, Hiser stole second before Allen singled which scored both Hiser and Hollon and tied the game at 8-8 heading into the final inning. 

BC forced three straight outs in the top of the inning. Hollon then hit the game winning double which scored both Koening and Grace Mackey to give BC the 10-8 opener victory. 

The night cap opened with sophomore Kenadee Frey hitting a ball that allowed Allen to score on a Scot error. Frey then scored on a Smith single. Unfortunately it was the only runs BC scored before falling 9-2. 

The Beavers will now head to Iowa to take on Cornell College on March 8 for another nonconference doubleheader.