MILWAUKEE – The Alverno softball team played host to the Lakeland Muskies in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference doubleheader on the Alverno Softball Field on Wednesday afternoon. The Muskies took the opener by a 12-4 score before taking the second game by a 10-3 margin.
 
Alverno and Lakeland hung close with one another throughout the majority of the second game, but the Muskies tacked on runs late to pull away for the seven-run win in the nightcap.
 
Sophomore Izzy Torres once again led the offense as she drove in four of Alverno's seven runs on the afternoon including a pair of round-trippers with one coming in each half of the doubleheader. Torres had four runs scored and also walked once, finishing the afternoon with a .833 on-base percentage.
 
Senior Lauren Greif had three singles and one run scored, while junior Natalie Akin collected three hits on the doubleheader. Freshman Andrea Ramirez picked up two hits and also scored a run in five at bats as she also walked once on the day.
 
Sophomore Zimri Lemonds and freshman Maggie Wilmot each had singles and one RBI apiece, while senior Kaitlynn Schmick had one RBI on the afternoon. Sophomore Megan Bradford reached base twice on a pair of hit by pitches, while sophomore Jaden Rieck made her season debut. Sophomore Karly Amburgey-Hanson also played in both ends of the doubleheader.
 
In the circle game one was handled by the seniors as Schmick got the start and also finished the game as she totaled one strikeout in a combined four innings of work as she allowed seven earned runs. Greif had an inning sandwiched between Schmick's outings and struck out one batter while yielding four runs.
 
The second game saw the California-Combo take the circle as Akin got the start and totaled 3 2/3 innings with two strikeouts as she allowed just two earned runs over her outing. Torres came on and pitched 3 1/3 innings while also strikeout out a pair before Akin came back on to finish off the pitching for the Inferno.
 
Game 1
The Muskies and Inferno both threatened in the top and bottom of the first inning, but Schmick stranded the bases full in the top of the inning before Alverno stranded a pair in the bottom of the first.
 
After Lakeland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Alverno got the run right back as Ramirez walked on a 3-2 pitch before Bradford was hit by a pitch to push Ramirez into scoring position. Wilmot followed with a run-scoring single to even the score at one.
 
Lakeland plated eight runs in the third inning to take a 9-1 lead to bring Alverno up in the bottom of the third.
 
Greif led off the inning with a base hit to right field, before Torres pushed an opposite field home run down the right field line to pull the Inferno back within six at 9-3. Lakeland added three runs in the top of the fourth to extend its lead back to nine at 12-3.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, Torres got the offense rolling again with a two-out single to the opposite field before Akin connected on a single. Lemonds pulled a single down the left field line to plate Torres to cap off the scoring for the Inferno as the Muskies won 12-4.
 
Game 2
Lakeland scored off of Akin in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead in the second game, bringing Alverno's bats up.
 
The Inferno's offense got rolling with an infield single by Greif, before she was erased on a fielder's choice by Lemonds. Up next was Torres, who sent a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence to give the Inferno a 2-1 advantage.
 
Lakeland tied the score with a single run in the top of the second and took the lead with another solo run in the top of the third.
 
In the bottom of the third, Torres walked on four pitches before Akin singled to right centerfield to put runners on the corners with one down. Schmick hit a ball back to the originator, allowing Torres to score and knot the score at three heading to the fourth.
 
After allowing her first run of the night after coming on in the third inning, Torres held Lakeland off the board in the top of the fourth. A leadoff single by Ramirez in the bottom of the fourth went for naught as the game progressed to the fifth inning even at three.
 
Lakeland added a single run in the fifth before adding a four-spot in the top of the sixth to open up an 8-3 lead.
 
Ramirez got another single with a two-out knock in the bottom of the sixth but Alverno was unable to get the timely hit needed to plate the runner. Lakeland added on a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh before setting down the Inferno in the bottom of the seventh as the Muskies picked up the 10-3 win.
 
Up Next
Alverno (1-14, 0-7 NACC North) will be back in action this Saturday, when the Inferno host the Concordia Wisconsin Falcons on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m. on the Alverno Softball Field. There will be a live stream and live stats coverage of the game available at Athletics.Alverno.edu.