PLYMOUTH, Wis. -- After 22 days since its last live action, Alverno College showed a bit of rust as it opened the conference season with a pair of losses to host Lakeland College, 4-0 and 9-4. The Inferno left 14 runners on base and managed just 12 hits in the twin bill.

In the opening game the Muskies (5-7, 2-0 Northern Athletics Conference) began the scoring during the second inning after a runner, who reached on an error, came around to score. The hosts would tack on three more runs over the next two innings for the 4-0 lead.

The Inferno (3-7, 0-2 NAC) offense, which outscored its opponents on its spring trip 44-40, managed just three hits and a pair of walks in the game. Ashleigh Sagat (New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower), Stef Wilmore (Elkhart, Ind./Central) and Megan Rossi (Hammond, Ind./Morton) accounted for the three hits.

Rookie right-hander Erin Dulek (Rosholt, Wis.) picked up the decision for the Inferno, and is now 1-6 on the season. She pitched a solid game allowing just three earned runs on six hits with four strikeouts in her fourth complete game in five starts.

The Muskies' Erin Henk (4-5) picked up the victory and the shutout.

In the nightcap the Inferno connected for a hit in each of the first three innings, but didn't score its first run until the fourth when Rossi and Lauren Colette (Antioch, Ill.) connected for back-to-back RBI singles with two outs to give Alverno its first lead of the day, 2-1.

The Muskies did some damage of their own with two outs, as they scored six runs on seven hits in the bottom half of the inning. They chased Alverno starter Jamie Villalobos (Antioch, Ill.) after three and two-thirds innings, which gave the lefty her first loss of the season (2-1) in the circle.

Rossi pitched the final two and one-third in relief as the rookie surrendered a pair of runs on six hits.

After a scoreless fifth, the Rossi-Colette duo came through again with a pair of RBIs to cut the Muskies' lead to three, but the hosts answered back with two in the bottom of the inning.

The Inferno landed a pair of base runners in the final at bat, but was unable to plate them for the 9-4 final.

Colette was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with the two RBIs to lead the Inferno's offense, while Villalobos was 2-for-4.

Wilmore picked up a hit in each game, and extended her hitting streak to nine games.

Alverno returns to action in a pair of doubleheaders this Saturday and Sunday as it hosts Edgewood College and Marian University. First pitch for each is scheduled for noon at Alverno Field.