Tigers Take Two on Final Day of Arizona Trip

TUSCON, Arizona—Wittenberg softball concluded a successful Spring Break trip to Arizona with two decisive victories over Rockford University and Bethany Lutheran. The Tigers stomped Rockford 10-2 in game one, before Abby Haab tossed a one-hitter in an 11-0 win against Bethan Lutheran. Wittenberg returns to Springfield with a 5-7 record after the youthful squad competed against some of the best teams in all of Divsion III. 

GAME 1-Rockford: Wittenberg got out of the gates with their hitting shoes on against Rockford, as the Tigers hung seven runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Wittenberg answered the bell in a big way as Rockford plated a run in the top-half of the first inning. The big blow in the first inning came off the bat of Missy Lee who homered to deep left field after RBI singles from Abby Curnutte and Victoria Toetz. After Lee's homerun put the Tigers up 5-1, Lauren Buelow and Katy Baumgartner moved up a base on a wild pitch, as Baumgartner scurried home. Olivia Hopkins put the finishing touches on the first inning with an RBI single, as the Tigers took a 7-1 lead into the second inning. Lee was back at it again at the dish in the second inning, as the junior third-basemen doubled to centerfield, plating two, as he Tigers took a 9-1 lead. Elise Freeland would put the finishing touches on the game, singling home Hopkins in the third to put Wittenberg up 10-1. Katelyn Niswonger did her job on the mound for the Tigers, as the freshman was backed with 10 early runs in the win. Niswonger surrendered two earned runs, a walk, while striking out a career high 10 batters in five innings of work. Wittenberg played another game of error free softball, while Rockford kicked it around for five errors on the day.

GAME 2-Bethany Lutheran: The story of game two was Haab flirting with her third career no-hitter, as the Tiger's senior hurler surrendered one hit in five innings of work against Bethany Lutheran. Haab struck out eight and didn't allow a walk in the 11-0 drubbing, as the lone Bethany Lutheran hit came with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Hopkins, Baumgartner and Black all doubled in the game for the Tigers, as Lauren Buelow and Toetz paced the Tigers with three RBI's, while Lee and Baumgartner recorded two apiece. Wittenberg sealed the deal by scoring in every innings except the third, including a five run fourth inning that featured a Toetz triple.

TEAM NOTES: At 5-7 after facing some of the nation's top competition in all of Division III, Wittenberg returns to Springfield with full slate of home games ahead. As a team, the Tigers are hitting .310 through 12 contests, including five homeruns. Freeland leads the Tigers with a .432 batting average with 16 hits in 37 at bats. The freshman infielder has struck out three times through her first 37 at bats as a Tiger and managed to walk four. Lee boasts 12 RBI's after a great week at the dish, as the junior also totaled five extra base hits on the trip. Rowe, sophomore backstop, and reigning NCAC Newcomer of the Year, also impressed at the plate on the trip, slashing .417/.481/.667 including five extra base hits.

UP NEXT: Wittenberg opens up at home against Alma College on March 17 with a 1:00 P.M. double-header.