Kimball Strikes Out Career-High as Softball Splits with Case Western

CHICAGO -- The University of Chicago softball team capped off its weekend with a doubleheader split against the Case Western Reserve Spartans on a frigid day in Chicago.

In game one, the Spartans jumped out to an early lead after four consecutive free passes by the UChicago pitchers. After the first two batters were retired, the Spartans drew three walks and were hit by a pitch to score the first run of the game.

In the second inning, Case Western Reserve opened the inning, with a leadoff triple, threatening to extend its early lead.".

Eleanor Johnson, however, had other ideas as she slammed the door with an infield popout and a pair of strikeouts to end the threat. In the third inning, the Maroons leveled the score as

Madeline Murphy singled and

Natalie Antin reached on a fielder's choice to put two runners on with no outs. After a flyout moved Murphy to third,

Matilda Nelson brought her home with an RBI groundout to tie the score at one.

The Spartans answered back with a big inning in the fourth as they scored four runs on five hits and one UChicago error to retake the lead. Case Western added another run in both the fifth and sixth innings to stretch their lead to 7-1. The Maroons would add one more in the seventh after a leadoff walk by

Anna Jensen and a single by

Varsha Swaminathan put the first two runners on base. The runners were moved up on a groundout, and

Marisa Lloveras, the pinch runner for Jensen, came across to score on an RBI groundout by Antin for the final run of the 7-2 loss.

The Maroons were held to just four hits in the game, but

Audrey Hui and

Anna Jensen led the offense as both players reached base three times. In the circle,

Eleanor Johnson was handed the loss after throwing 3.0 innings with four strikeouts and three earned runs allowed, and

Nicole Wong added 3.1 innings pitched with just one earned run allowed.

In the second game of the day, the Spartans jumped out to another big lead early with three runs on two hits and a pair of UChicago errors. Case Western then looked poised to add on to their lead after a pair of walks to open the second inning, but

Alana Kimball buckled down and retired the next three batters to end the threat.

In the third inning, UChicago built its first momentum of the day after the first two batters reached on a pair of Case Western errors. Then,

Sedona Ding singled home

Brianna Leech, and

Audrey Hui singled home

Lakyn Wilkinson to cut the lead to one. The Maroons continued their stretch of four consecutive hits with a pair of singles from

Natalie Antin and

Matilda Nelson to bring home Ding and level the score at three.

Case Western retook the lead in the fourth with a double, a wild pitch, and a squeeze play to go up 4-3, but UChicago answered once again.

Anna Jensen singled and Wilkinson ripped a double down the right field line which allowed Jensen to advance to third before scoring on a bad throw from the Case Western cutoff man to tie the score. Ding added a single in the next at-bat to bring home Wilkinson to put the Maroons back in front 5-4.

In the next inning, UChicago added an insurance run as Nelson was hit by a pitch and

Olivia Cataldo singled to put the first two runners on in the inning. Then, following a groundout,

Nanako Schroth brought home

Melana Badea, the pinch runner for Nelson, to stretch the lead to 6-4.

Case Western responded with one run in the sixth inning on an RBI double to put the tying run just 120 feet away, but the Maroons handed the ball to

Eleanor Johnson with a chance to close out the game. Johnson forced a popout in foul territory to get out of the jam, and she retired the side in the seventh to earn first collegiate save.

Sedona Ding was excellent on the offensive end with a 3-3 day and a pair of RBIs, and

Lakyn Wilkinson and

Audrey Hui also added a multi-hit game.

Alana Kimball earned the win with a career-high five strikeouts and four runs allowed in five innings pitched.

Marisa Lloveras threw 0.2 innings in relief, and

Eleanor Johnson earned the save with all four batters retired in the final 1.1 innings.

With the split, the Maroons move to 11-18 overall on the season and 3-9 in UAA play. UChicago will return to action on Thursday as the Maroons travel across town to North Park for a doubleheader against the Vikings.