PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The Alverno softball team returned to action on Sunday afternoon, taking on the host Lakeland Muskies at the Lakeland Softball Field. Senior Natalie Akin drove in a pair and pitched the distance in the circle during the opener, but it was the Muskies to sweep the doubleheader by the scores of 8-2 and 13-1.
 
Akin at the dish in the opener had two hits and drove in both runs, which included a solo home run for her first of the season and seventh of her career to move her into a tie for fifth place on the all-time home runs list at Alverno. Later in the afternoon she added another single for the Inferno as she finished her day 3-for-6 to lift her batting average to .389 on the season.
 
In the circle, Akin went the distance as she pitched a season-high six innings and struck out one as she yielded just four runs over the first five innings. Lakeland touched up the right-hander for four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to cap off the opener offensively.
 
Sophomore Lexi Hess singled, stole a base and scored a run in the opening inning of game one as she came around on Akin's single, while freshman Samantha Vinti also connected on a base knock in game one.
 
Hess added a single in the second game, while juniors Ashley Flores and Izzy Torres each picked up two hits apiece at the plate. Sophomore Lily Kostka, and freshman Cora Younk each had singles in the effort as the Inferno tallied eight hits in the second game.
 
Torres got the start in game two and was able to retire one batter before Akin came in during the opening inning to retire the final two batters. Torres returned to the circle in the bottom of the third inning and settled down as she stranded a pair in the third, and left another two Muskies on base in the fourth.
 
Alverno (0-8, 0-4 NACC) gets back to action tomorrow evening, as the Inferno will play at the Spartan Athletic Park in Montgomery, Illinois and will serve as the home team against the Aurora Spartans beginning at 5 p.m.