MILWAUKEE – The Alverno softball team played host to the Benedictine Eagles on the Alverno Softball Field on Tuesday afternoon. The Inferno dropped the opener by a 12-1 score, and the second game by a 15-4 margin.
 
Alverno was led by four players that had multi-hit afternoons, while sophomore Megan Bradford had one hit, which came in the form of a three-run home run in the second game. Senior Lauren Greif, along with sophomore Zimri Lemonds, and freshmen Sara Jankowski and Andrea Ramirez all had multi-hit afternoons. Greif had her second home run in as many games during the opener and also had a double in the second game for two of Alverno's extra-base hits.
 
Also collecting hits for the Inferno were sophomore Izzy Torres and junior Natalie Akin, while freshman Izzy Luevano scored a run.
 
Greif got the start in the opener, and was relieved by Torres to close out game one. Senior Kaitlynn Schmick struck out three batters as she retired all 15 outs in the second game. Freshman Maggie Wilmot also had a pitching appearance in the second game.
 
Game 1
Benedictine opened the first game with back-to-back home runs to take an early 2-0 lead, before another runner scored on a dropped ball in the outfield as the Eagles led by three. Alverno's offense was unable to get anything going in the bottom of the first, before Benedictine connected on a two-run home run in the second inning to take a five-run lead.
 
Torres, who had come on in relief in the top of the second, retired the side in order in the third inning on a pair of ground balls and a lineout. However, Benedictine notched four more runs across the plate to take a nine-run lead. The Eagles added three more runs in the top of the fifth on a three-run home run as Benedictine's led swelled to a dozen.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Greif connected on her second home run in as many games to break up the shutout as the Inferno fell by a 12-1 score.
 
Greif got the first four outs of the ballgame, before Torres came on for the longest pitching appearance of her career as she retired 11 batters, tossing 3 2/3 innings on 58 pitches.
 
Game 2
It was déjà vu, as the first batter in game two sent a home run over the centerfield fence for another leadoff home run. However, Schmick was able to strand two runners on base on a fly ball to Luevano to end the Eagle rally.
 
Alverno got two runners on in the bottom of the first as Lemonds and Torres were on with a pair of singles with two down, but the Inferno were unable to plate a runner after the third out was retired.
 
In the top of the second, Benedctine's first four batters reached in the inning, which led to four runs scoring for the Eagles, who had a five-run lead once again heading into the bottom of the second.
 
Greif opened up the bottom of the second with a walk on a 3-2 pitch, before Ramirez connected on a first-pitch single. Luevano reached on a fielder's choice as Greif was erased at third. Up next was Bradford, who reached out and clobbered a three-run home run to left field to trim the Eagle deficit to two at 5-3.
 
Benedictine got the three runs right back in the top of the third to take an 8-3 lead, but Alverno got another run scratched across in the bottom of the inning. Akin reached on a one-out single, before Greif doubled to put a pair in scoring position. Ramirez went first-pitch hunting once again and pushed a single up the middle to plate Akin and pull Alverno back within four at 8-4.
 
After a scoreless fourth inning, as Schmick stranded one in the top of the fourth, the Eagles put up a crooked number with a seven-run fifth. The first eight batters of the inning reached, as Schmick was lifted and then re-entered the circle, replacing Wilmot along the way. Schmick retired the final two batters of the frame via strikeout and groundout on a swift pickup and toss by Akin across the diamond to Lemonds.
 
In their last chance at bat, the Inferno were unable to get the offense restarted, as the team went down via three groundouts. Benedictine ended up with the 15-4 victory.
 
Up Next
Alverno (1-7, 0-0 NACC North) will open up conference play, as the team continues arguably its hardest stretch of the season. The Inferno will host nationally ranked MSOE on Saturday, April 3 beginning with a 12 p.m. start on the Alverno Softball Field. The team will make a return trip to MSOE on Monday, April 5 for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.