Iowa Wesleyan Tigers Sweep Pioneers

Iowa Wesleyan Tigers Sweep Pioneers-Wil Teague, Sports Information Director- 4-15-23

Game One:

Crowley's Ridge- 5

Iowa Wesleyan- 8

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa- CRC Softball ended their weekend in Iowa with a doubleheader matchup against the hosting team, the Tigers of Iowa Wesleyan University. The Lady Pioneers took control of the game in the first inning as they cracked out 4 consecutive hits to start the game,  allowing them to bring in 4  Pioneer runs across the plate. The first two Pioneer runs crossed the plate thanks to back-to-back singles from Dru Bryant and Hannah Burk. Two batters and two outs later Bailey Cupples doubled to centerfield driving in the third run of the inning and Autum Maxwell finished the 4 spot as she took a hit by pitch with the bases loaded collecting the bruise and RBI. Though CRC got off to a hot start the Lady Pioneers would remain scoreless until the 5th inning as Burk singled driving in her second Pioneer of the game. Meanwhile, Shelby Elrod and the Pioneer defense fought to hold the Tigers' offense at bay, but the Tigers uncaged their bats in the third as IWU scored 2, cutting the CRC lead in half. IWU didn't settle there and continued to chip away at CRC's lead as they scored one more in the 4th with a Lady Tiger solo homerun and then matched CRC's first-inning effort of 4 runs as they hung 4 of their own on CRC in the 5th inning retaking the lead 7-4. Autum Maxwell and Burk each doubled in the 6th and 7th with two outs trying to spark a rally but the Tigers would hold the Pioneers off defeating them with a final score of 8-5.

Leaders: Hitting

The Lady Pioneers scored 5 runs on 9 hits. Two Lady Pioneers ended with multiple hits.

Burk (3-4)(2B)(2RBI), Bryant (2-4)(2B)(RBI)

Pitching:
Elrod: 6.0 innings, 12 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1 HR

Game Two:

Crowley's Ridge- 2

Iowa Wesleyan- 4

Mt. Pleasant, Iowa- The Lady Pioneers slowed the Lady Tigers' offensive attack in game two as Halea Wells and Natalie Brightwell held IWU to just 4 runs but in the end, it would still be enough to beat the Pioneers as CRC was only able to get two Pioneers around the bases. The similarity between both games would be that the Lady Pioneers would be the team to strike first and gain the lead early on. Dry Bryant continued her day in the box as she singled driving in Shelby Elrod in the top of the third inning giving CRC the 1-0 lead. The Tigers didn't take it kindly as they responded with 3 runs in the bottom of the fourth, retaking the lead, and one last run in the bottom half of the 6th leaving CRC down 4-1 and down to their final 3 outs. Crowley's Ridge managed to scrap one more run in the top of the 7th as Dru Bryant reached first on a fielder's choice allowing Maddie Erickson to score. Still, ultimately CRC would fall short being bested a second time against Iowa Wesleyan.

Leaders: Hitting

The Pioneers scored 2 runs on 10 hits. Three Pioneers ended the contest with multiple hits.

Bryant (2-4)(2RBI), Reed (2-4)(SB), Burk (2-4)(2B)

Pitching:

Wells: 5.0 innings, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Brightwell: 1.0 innings, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO