Lake Wales, Florida — The Dordt Defender softball team surrendered a four run third inning and saw its comeback attempt come up short in a 4-3 loss to Warner in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Lake Wales, Florida.
Dordt scored a run in the third with Jessica Oules scoring on a Karli Olsen sacrifice fly but the hosts came back immediately with four runs on four hits in the third inning. An error aided in the scoring as well and Dordt was forced to come from behind.
Chandler Schemper delivered a single that scored Kenzie Cunard in the fifth after Cunard doubled to lead off the frame and Brooklyn Van Oort scored on an Ivy Terpstra fielder’s choice that got Dordt to within a run. With one out Terpstra stole second to put runners on second and third but a ground out and a popout both to the shortstop ended the inning.
Dordt threatened again in the seventh and had runners at first and second with no one out. A sacrifice fly advanced the runners but a strikeout and a flyout ended the threat and the contest.
Six different Defenders had a hit as Dordt was outhit 9-6. Dordt committed two errors while the hosts had four defensive miscues.
Cunard and Van Oort each had doubles while Schemper, Emma Groen, Terpstra and Oules all had singles.
Abby Kraemer took the loss with four runs allowed with six strikeouts.
A pair of three run innings by Warner proved to be too much to overcome as Dordt lost a 7-4 decision in game two of its doubleheader in Lake Wales, Florida on Saturday afternoon.
Dordt allowed three runs in the second inning and played from behind the rest of the game. Warner was helped by two errors in the second inning that paved the way for three unearned runs.
The Defenders’ rebuttal came in the fifth when Kenzie Cunard grounded out to the right side of the infield, allowing Jessica Flaherty to score a run. The Defenders were unable to push across the runner from third with one out and trailed 3-1. Warner answered with a run in the home half of the fifth when a singled to the outfield and the hit was misplayed for a three-base error for a 4-1 lead.
Dordt got two across in the sixth as Ella Koster tripled and eventually scored on a ground out and Emma Brown scored on a passed ball.
A three run bottom of the sixth added to the Warner lead and the Defenders got one back in the top of the seventh with Jessica Oules scoring on a Chandler Schemper single. Dordt had the tying run at the plate but couldn’t keep the threat going and lost 7-4 with a fielder’s choice and fly out ending the contest.
Dordt was outhit 9-5 and committed five errors that allowed four unearned runs.
Hailey Wilkin pitched five innings and was charged with four runs—two of them earned and walked tow with six hits given up.
Jadyn Faber pitched the final inning and wasn’t involved in the decision.
Koster had Dordt’s only extra base hit with her triple.
Karli Olsen, Schemper, Flaherty and Oules all had singles,
Dordt is now 3-7.
Dordt will face Bellevue and Judson on Monday, March 7 at Kissimmee, Florida.
