CLERMONT, Fla. – No. 19 Winona State University pushed its win streak to 10 consecutive games by sweeping the competition for a third straight day in Florida at The Spring Games Tournament. The Warriors defeated Assumption College, 9-2, before ending the day with a 5-3 triumph over Ashland University.
Reigning NSIC Player of the Week, Lani Van Zyl, homered in her fourth straight game as part of the Warriors' five-run second inning against Assumption to begin the day.
Back-to-back doubles by Jen Giesey and Kristina Ahlers opened the top of the second inning with the latter breaking the scoring seal on the game. Later in the frame, a two-out single by McKenna Larsen stretched the WSU lead to 2-0. Van Zyl followed with a three-run blast to cap the inning and give the Warriors and starter Katie Schlegel an early 5-0 lead.
Schlegel (1-0) notched her first win of the season in the circle for Winona State. The junior right-hander allowed two runs on two hits over 5.0 IP.
After the Greyhounds plated both their runs in the bottom of the third, the Warrior offense got back to work in the fourth inning. Winona State has frequently showed its ability to record clutch hits early this season as was the case in the fourth frame with two more two-out runs. Van Zyl singled to drive in a run, and Alison Nowak battled out of a two-strike count of an RBI-single of her own to make it a 7-2 ballgame.
Paige Keegan added a two-run single in the Warriors' final offensive frame.
Alyssa Van Valey tossed the final two innings while allowing just one hit for Winona State.
The Warriors found themselves trailing after a half inning against Ashland in the finale, but the red-hot Van Zyl quickly erased an early 1-0 deficit with an RBI-double in the bottom of the first. After an RBI-groundout by Carly Kordich gave WSU a 2-1 lead in the second inning, Van Zyl followed with another run-scoring knock.
The Eagles and Warriors traded runs in the third with a two-out RBI-single from Samantha McLean, and Rina Niehoff scored on a wild pitch in the fifth frame for Winona State's final tally.
McLean went 2-for-3 with a run scored in both games Monday.
Jaida Reynen (3-0) earned her third straight victory in the circle. The sophomore allowed three runs (one earned) on eight hits over 5.0 IP. Larsen allowed just one hit while earning her first save of the season in two scoreless relief innings to close the game.
Van Zyl combined to go 4-for-5 with a pair of walks and six RBI on the day, extending her current hitting streak to 12 games, including six straight with at least one extra-base hit.
Winona State (13-2) is idle on Tuesday before returning to the diamond in Florida on Wednesday afternoon.
