CLERMONT, Fla. – (RV) Winona State University used a pair of sixth-inning rallies on Monday to extend its winning streak to eight in a row. The Warriors came from behind for a 5-4 win over Post University to begin the day and scored five runs in the sixth against Lewis University to complete the afternoon sweep.
Rina Niehoff's inside-the-park homer in the sixth inning against Post plated three runs for the triumph while Alexis Kelsey did the heavy lifting against Lewis with four RBI. Jordyn Kleman pitched in relief in both ballgames and earned a pair of saves.
The Post University Eagles scored their first two runs of the day on with some help from WSU. Liz Pautz walked a pair of batters a committed an error which led to both unearned runs. The Eagles executed a double steal of home with one out and made it a 2-0 affair on a single with two outs.
After ending the frame with a strikeout, Pautz settled in to retire nine of the next 10 batters she faced and struck out the side in the third inning. She punched out six over 4.0 IP in a no decision.
Winona State got on the board in the fourth after Ann Smolenski opened the inning with a single. Two batters later, a bunt single by Kayla Kerkman put runners on the corners and Smolenski later scored on a passed ball to cut the Eagles' lead in half.
Katie Schlegel relieved Pautz in the fifth frame and immediate induced a double play to help keep Post off the board. Lani Van Zyl got the bottom of the fifth started with a leadoff double and scored on an RBI-single by Alison Nowak to knot the score at 2-2.
With one out in the top of the sixth, Schlegel ran into trouble as the senior walked the bases loaded and the Eagles cashed in with a two-out, two-run double to regain a 4-2 advantage. WSU used some two-out magic of its own to take the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Kerkman started the two-out rally with a single and Katie Kolb walked before Niehoff cleared the bases and scampered all the way home on her inside-the-park home run to right field.
Kleman entered the circle in the top of the seventh to make short work of the Eagles for the save to secure the win for Schlegel (2-0) and the Warriors.
In game two, the Lewis Flyers scored twice in the second inning and maintained a 2-0 lead into the sixth when the Winona State offense put a crooked number on the scoreboard.
Kerman started the rally once again with a leadoff single in the sixth that preceded a single by Kolb and a fielder's choice from Jen Giesey to safely reach and load the bases. Van Zyl drew a walk to force in the first run and an RBI-single by Nowak tied the game at 2-2. Kelsey added a two-run single to left and a fielder's choice off the bat of Rylee Stout gave the Warriors a 5-2 edge.
Another two-run single by Kelsey made it seven unanswered runs for WSU as the Warriors carried a 7-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Kleman gave up her first run over her last 23.0 IP in the frame but successfully held off the Flyers for her second save of the day.
Winona State improves to 10-2 overall with its sixth straight victory in Florida and eighth consecutive overall.
The Warriors will enjoy an off day in the Sunshine State on Tuesday before returning to action with two more games on Wednesday against Dominican College and Purdue Northwest.
