Courtesy of Midland Athletics
DAVENPORT, Iowa – No. 11-ranked Midland University returned to action Saturday inside the St. Ambrose Dome, picking up a pair of nonconference wins. The Warriors opened the weekend with a 5-1 victory over Clarke University before rallying to defeat host St. Ambrose University, 9-8.
GAME 1: Midland 5, Clarke 1
After three scoreless innings, Midland broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth. Alexis Shepherd led off the inning with a walk and moved into scoring position on a single by Jayci Reimers. Maddison Zach drove in the game’s first run with a groundout to second base. With two outs, Danielle Schoby singled to left field to score Paxton Mitties, who entered as a pinch runner for Reimers.
The Warriors added two more runs in the fifth. Mara Vonk reached on a fielder’s choice, advanced from first to third on a single by Shepherd, and scored on a throw back into the infield. Shepherd moved to second on the play and later scored on an infield single by Reimers.
Clarke scored a run in the bottom of the fifth but managed only the lone tally. Midland answered in its next at-bat when Zach scored on a sacrifice fly to right field to cap the 5-1 win.
Mackenzie Groninga went the distance in the circle, allowing one earned run on four hits with four walks while striking out nine in seven innings. She improved to 2-0 on the season.
Statistical Standouts
- Mara Vonk: 1-for-4, R
- Alexis Shepherd: 3-for-3, 2 R, RBI, BB
- Jayci Reimers: 2-for-4, RBI
- Maddison Zach: 1-for-3, RBI
- Danielle Schoby: 1-for-3, RBI
- Sophie De Rouin: 1-for-3, RBI
- Mackenzie Groninga: 7.0 IP, 4 H, 1 ER, 9 K
GAME 2: Midland 9, St. Ambrose 8
In the second game, Midland fell behind early as St. Ambrose plated six runs in the bottom of the first inning against Campbell Petrick. After the rough opening frame, Petrick settled in. The Fighting Bees added another run in the second to take a 7-0 lead into the fourth inning.
Midland answered with six runs in the fourth. Maddison Zach drew a leadoff walk, and Isabelle Pagan was hit by a pitch. Shepherd continued her strong day with an RBI double to left field. Reimers followed with a two-run double to the same spot, cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Grace Behrns added a one-out single to center to score Reimers. After Sophie De Rouindoubled to put runners on the corners, MaKenna Watkins delivered a two-run double to center, pulling the Warriors within one run at 7-6.
After a scoreless bottom half of the inning and a quiet fifth, Midland took the lead in the sixth. Behrns led off with a single and later scored on a double to center by Zoe Dickson, prompting St. Ambrose to call to the bullpen. Pagan singled to load the bases, and Shepherd delivered again with a single to center that drove in the eventual game-winning run.
Trailing by two in the bottom of the seventh, St. Ambrose turned a leadoff single into a run on a sacrifice but was unable to draw even.
Petrick went the distance, allowing six earned runs on eight hits with two walks and one strikeout over seven innings to improve to 2-1.
Statistical Standouts
MaKenna Watkins: 2-for-5, 3 RBI, 2B
- Alexis Shepherd: 3-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 2B
- Jayci Reimers: 1-for-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B
- Grace Behrns: 3-for-4, 2 R, RBI
Midland (4-2) returns to the St. Ambrose Dome on Sunday for two more games. The Warriors will face Missouri Valley (0-2) at 8:30 a.m., followed by No. 23 St. Xavier (2-2) at 1 p.m.
