COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Lindsey Wilson softball team turned in an all-around, bounce-back performance on Tuesday afternoon, shutting down Indiana-Purdue Columbus in a nonconference sweep.
The Blue Raiders received notable contributions from both sides of the ball with clutch hits, smart baserunning, and solid defense.
Natalie Wandrie and
Brooklynn Becker each shined at the plate and led the home side with four hits apiece. In the circle, junior
Savannah Robbins capitalized on her second start of the season for a complete-game no-hitter in game two.
Game One: Lindsey Wilson 7, IUPUC 1
Four different Blue Raiders laid down multiple hits as Lindsey Wilson scattered its seven runs across six plate appearances to win game one.
Kendall Dailey extended her hit-streak to four games to lead off the bottom of the first inning and was later plated on a sacrifice flyout by Wandrie.
Kelsie Bostock continued the early threat with an RBI-single and Lindsey Wilson led 2-0 after one frame.
In the second, Dailey capped the second multi-hit game of her career with an RBI to center field. Then, two innings later,
Elizabeth Funk sent a base-hit to right-center field to score
Brylee Pickerell and extend the Blue Raiders' advantage to 4-0.
The scoring resumed in the fifth inning when a fielder's choice off the bat of
Olivia Franceschi plated Wandrie.
Indiana-Purdue Columbus ended the Blue Raiders' shutout bid with a run in the top leg of the sixth but managed nothing further.
The highlight of game one came in the bottom of the sixth inning off the metal of Wandrie. With two outs on the board and a runner in scoring position, the freshman sent a line drive into right field that ended up being mishandled by the Crimson Pride's outfielder. Wandrie, who was already on her way to second base, turned on the jets and soared around the dirt diamond for an inside-the-park home run.
Abigail Cruz collected her second win of the season on the rubber for the Blue Raiders, firing six complete innings and surrendering zero earned runs on seven hits.
Game Two: Lindsey Wilson 8, IUPUC 0 (6 Innings)
Making just her second start, and appearance of the season, Robbins delivered a gem with her first career no-hitter. She allowed only two baserunners and made an additional four assists in the infield.
With Robbins dealing and the Blue Raiders playing stellar defense, it was up to the offense to make some noise.
Each of Lindsey Wilson's first five runs were scored with two outs. It all started in the bottom half of the first inning on a
Tanlee Hudgins two-run RBI-single to left field.
Then, in the following inning, Wandrie cleared the bases with a three-run RBI-double to right field, plating
McKenna Ingram, Funk, and Ott to put Lindsey Wilson ahead 4-0.
Funk tallied her second RBI of the day in the fourth frame on a sacrifice bunt to bump the lead to 6-0. That set the Blue Raiders up with a chance to end the game early in the bottom of the sixth.
Ingram led off with a single to the grass, followed by a fielder's choice to Becker to place runners on the corner.
Natalie Shaw produced the final blow on a double to deep center field to bring home both of her teammates, win the game for the Blue Raiders, and solidify Robbins' no-hit bid.
Lindsey Wilson now moves into Mid-South Conference play beginning on Friday afternoon at Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.).
