GREENVILLE, Ill. - The softball team became the first SLIAC softball-playing institution to complete their conference schedule in Saturday's doubleheader split against Spalding. Spalding defeated Greenville 11-2 in five innings in game one, and the Panthers came back with a 3-1 win in the second game on Senior Day.
Greenville permitted a first inning run in game one but tied the game in the bottom of the first when Kayla Zimmerman slapped the ball over the third baseman's head for a single and went to third when the fielder threw the ball away. Zimmerman later scored on an error by the third baseman on a ball hit by Megan Barrett.
Spalding scored three times in the second and seven times in the third to take a commanding 11-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Greenville made the score 11-2 on an RBI single by Maegan Stone.
Caitie Opp pitched all five innings for GU, allowing seven earned runs.
Stone went 2-for-2 from the ninth spot in the batting order.
Between games, Greenville honored seniors Beth Mersinger, Caitie Opp, Cayla Speaks, Karissa Woody, Amanda Atteberry, and Lauren Wilson for their careers at GU.
When competition resumed for game two, the Panthers scored single runs in the first, fourth, and fifth innings en route to a 3-1 win.
Beth Mersinger lifted a sacrifice fly to center field to give GU a run in the first inning, and Zimmerman provided an RBI single in the fourth.
Amanda Atteberry's triple to right center gave Greenville their third run.
Stone went the distance in the circle, working all seven innings. She handled a bases loaded situation with nobody out in the fifth inning without allowing a run. She induced a ground ball back to the circle, tossed it home for the force out, and catcher Olivia Shipman threw the ball to first for the double play. The inning ended with a fly ball to left field.
In the seventh inning, Spalding rallied and had the tying run at the plate as the game ended, but Stone struck out Spalding's number five hitter looking to end the game.
Zimmerman and Atteberry each led GU with two hits.
The Panthers (20-10, 13-5 SLIAC) host St. Mary-of-the-Woods in a doubleheader at 2 p.m. on Tuesday.
