GREENVILLE, Ill. - The softball team closed their regular season with a Sunday sweep of Blackburn on senior day. Between Greenville's 9-4 and 8-0 wins, the Panthers recognized seniors Alison Klaus and Morgan Wendling prior to their final regular season home game.
At the start of game one, it did not take Blackburn long to take the lead, scoring two runs in the first half inning of the game. In Greenville's half of the first inning, the Panthers tallied three runs, highlighted by runs scored on an error by the catcher, an RBI double from Desirae Yost, and a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the third inning, GU added four runs, receiving an RBI triple from Wendling, an RBI single by Yost, and two runs on an error by the shortstop.
In the top of the sixth, the Beavers hit a two-run home run, but the Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single by Madi Case and an RBI groundout off the bat of Yost.
Yost finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Case was also 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
Melissa Bernal pitched all seven innings in the circle, allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks with three strikeouts.
In game two, Klaus delighted the home crowd, recording her 100th strikeout of the season and pitching a five-inning no hitter.
In the second inning, Klaus retired her fourth straight batter via strikeout to give her the 100 strikeout milestone.
In the bottom of the second inning, Greenville scored four runs, compliments of a sacrifice fly by Emma Deters, an error by the third baseman that plated two runs, and an RBI single by Wendling.
In the fourth inning, the Panthers scored four more. Greenville took a 5-0 lead with an error by the second baseman and a 6-0 advantage with an error by the third baseman.
Wendling made the score 8-0 with a two-run triple, and she finished the game 2-for-3. Wendling was the only GU hitter to hit safely twice.
Klaus's final pitching line included five scoreless, hitless innings and 13 strikeouts.
The Panthers (19-19, 13-7 SLIAC) worked their way to a .500 overall record heading into the SLIAC tournament. They will host Westminster in a single game on Tuesday for the right to advance to the double-elimination SLIAC tournament with four teams in Peoria.
