MONTGOMERY, Ill. – The Alverno softball team opened up the 2021 campaign on Saturday afternoon at the Spartan Athletic Park in suburban Chicago. The Inferno fell in both ends of the doubleheader by shutout scores as the Spartans earned an 11-0 win in game one, followed by a 9-0 win in the second game.
 
Sophomore Izzy Torres knocked Alverno's first hit of the season with a seeing-eye single up the middle late in the second contest, while freshman Maggie Wilmot tossed one perfect inning in her collegiate pitching debut to highlight the afternoon for the Inferno.
 
Today's doubleheader marked the collegiate debuts of freshmen Sara Jankowski, Izzy Luevano, Andrea Ramirez, and Wilmot.
 
Game 1
Alverno was tasked with a tall order to open the season, facing one of the top pitchers in the NACC South Division and the in the Midwest region. After going down in order to start the ballgame, senior Lauren Greif took to the circle in the bottom of the inning for the Inferno.
 
Aurora put together a three-run rally in the bottom of the first inning off of Greif before taking on a fourth run in the bottom of the second. The Spartans continued to add to their lead throughout the contest as Greif struck out one Spartan batter on the afternoon.
 
Meanwhile in the top of each inning, the Inferno offense made every effort to shake the rust of a 372-day layoff away, but were unable to do so as Alverno was held hitless for the ballgame.
 
Game 2
Senior Kaitlynn Schmick made her final season debut in the second game of the season for the Inferno after Alverno's bats went down in order to kick off the start of game two. Schmick yielded one run in the first and was touched for three more runs in the second inning.
 
After going down in order once again in the top of the third inning, the Inferno took the field and allowed five runs as the Spartans played small ball and forced a pair of Alverno defensive miscues in the frame.
 
Wilmot took to the circle in the bottom of the fourth inning and retired the side on three groundouts to bring Alverno's bats back up in the top of the fifth inning.
 
After the first batter was retired, Torres laced a single up the middle to break the hitless streak on the day. However, the Spartans were able to get out of the inning unscathed as the Spartans registered the sweep with the 9-0 game two victory.
 
Up Next
Alverno makes its long awaited home debut, playing in their first home contest since the 2019 season tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m., when Alverno hosts Edgewood in a non-conference doubleheader. Spectators are currently not permitted at Alverno home contests, however Don Wadewitz will be on the call at Athletics.Alverno.edu, with the pre-game show beginning at approximately 11:50 a.m.