COLUMBIA, Ky. - No. 10 Lindsey Wilson could not overcome an early deficit to 23rd-ranked Indiana Wesleyan on Tuesday afternoon, falling to the Wildcats, 11-3, in the NAIA Softball Opening Round.
The designated road team pounced for five runs in the second inning to put the Blue Raiders down, then added a sixth run in the fifth frame to build a 6-0 lead.
Lindsey Wilson started to piece together a rally in its half of the sixth inning.
Kaiden Rodgers notched her second hit of the game with a double to left center field, followed by
Sam Hartman singling up the middle to plate the Blue Raiders' first run of the contest.
The next at-bat,
Natalie Wandrie, once again, made her presence felt and clobbered a two-run home run. The junior's twelfth long ball of the season trimmed the deficit to 6-3 heading into the final inning.
Indiana Wesleyan, however, quickly found an answer to Lindsey Wilson's offensive push. The Wildcats etched another five-piece in the top of the seventh, proving too much for the Blue Raiders to battle back from in the end.
Kayden Murray dealt 4.0 innings from the start for the home team. She punched out four on strikes and allowed five earned runs on four hits.
Hallie Roberts pitched the last three innings and surrendered six runs on six hits.
Lindsey Wilson faces a rematch with Johnson (Tenn.) at noon CT on Wednesday, May 13. The winner moves on to play Indiana Wesleyan in the championship game at 2:30 p.m. CT.
