ROCHESTER, Minn. – No. 24 Winona State University suffered its first loss of the young season on Wednesday afternoon, 2-1, only to bounce back with a resounding 9-1 triumph in the finale of a doubleheader with Grand View University.
Grand View is ranked No. 21 in the current NAIA Coaches' Poll.
Claudia Farrell, a three time All-American for the Vikings, did just enough to navigate past the Warrior bats in the opening game. The senior struck out seven over 7.0 IP while allowing just one run on five hits.
On the other side of the pitching duel was Winona's All-American, McKenna Larsen. The senior southpaw tossed her second straight complete game while striking out five and allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.
Grand View plated a pair of runs off Larsen in the fifth inning which proved to be the difference in the one-run affair. The second Viking run to cross the plate was unearned as Winona committed a pair of errors in the inning.
Jamee Schleis drove in the lone Warrior run of the game on a fielder's choice in the fourth frame. Mariah Schultz tripled to lead off the inning and scored on the play to give WSU a 1-0 lead at the time.
Three of Winona's five hits in the game went for extra-bases, including a leadoff triple by Katelyn Kolb, but the Warriors were unable to cash in on the early run-scoring chance. Winona left a total of eight runners on base in the game, including a pair in the bottom of the seventh.
The Warrior offense sprung to life in the finale, and run-ruled the Vikings in five innings. After Grand View scored a run in the top of the first inning, a trio of Winona pitchers blanked the Vikings, and the Warrior bats took care of the rest.
An RBI-single by Lani Van Zyl scored Jen Giesey and knotted the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Van Zyl would later score on a wild pitch to give WSU a 2-1 edge.
Rylee Stout busted the game wide open in the bottom of the third with a grand slam for her first collegiate long ball to make it a 6-1 ballgame. The Warriors plated three more runs in the fourth frame including a sac fly by Giesey and a pinch hit RBI-single by Rina Niehoff.
Katie Schlegel started the game in the circle for Winona and surrendered just one run on one hit over 2.0 IP. The junior struck out the side in her final inning of work. Alyssa Van Valey picked up the win after working a pair of scoreless innings. Jaida Reynen held the Vikings hitless in her inning of work on the mound.
The Warriors (3-1) will take the next week off before traveling to Rosemont, Illinois for a five-game invitational set for February 23-25.
