MONTGOMERY, Ill. – The Alverno softball team was back in action on Monday evening, as the Inferno competed against the Aurora Spartans in a make-up from Saturday's postponed doubleheader. The Spartans won the opener 10-2, before sweeping the night with a 23-0 win in the second game.
 
Sophomore Lexi Hess led the Inferno with three hits on the night, including a leadoff single and scoring a run in the opening inning of game one. Senior Natalie Akin clobbered a two-run home run in that opening frame to put the Inferno ahead, while also leading the team in the circle by tossing six innings and striking out five batters on the day.
 
Junior Ashley Flores had the team's other extra-base hit on the day, with a double in the second game; while junior Izzy Torres, and sophomores Lily Kostka and Andrea Ramirez each had singles on the day. Torres also started and finished the game in the circle during the nightcap and threw four innings for the Inferno.
 
With the Inferno serving as the home team for the day, Akin got the ball to start the opener and retired the first two batters before stranding a runner on base. After a pair of Spartans reached on two balls that didn't make it past the infield, Akin retired the fifth batter of the inning to strand a pair.
 
In the bottom of the first inning, Hess singled on a 1-2 pitch before Kostka moved her along to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later, Akin connected on a 1-2 pitch over the centerfield fence to give the Inferno a 2-0 lead.
 
The Spartans responded in the top of the second with three runs of their own, before a sinking line drive into centerfield was snagged by Hess to retire the side with the Inferno trailing by one.
 
Alverno was unable to muster much offense aside from a Torres single in the bottom of the third as the Spartans added on to take the opener 10-2.
 
In the second game, both sides were scoreless in the first frame, but Aurora scored a pair in the second inning and added on throughout the remainder of the game to sweep the doubleheader.
 
Alverno (0-10, 0-6 NACC) will look to play in their long-awaited home opener on Saturday afternoon, when the Inferno host the Benedictine Eagles for a conference doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. on the Alverno Softball Field.