Scots Sweep Blugolds To Leave Tourney With Win

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. --  The College of Wooster softball team finished the Illinois Wesleyan Tournament at .500 this weekend after a Sunday split between the host Titans and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Wooster fell to Illinois Wesleyan 5-3 but came back to sweep the Blugolds on the weekend with a 3-1 win.

For the second time in two games, Illinois Wesleyan jumped on the Scots late, this time erasing a 2-0 deficit with a five-run fifth inning.

First-year Jillian Meszaros was solid through four innings but could not escape the fifth as the Titans got its first three batters on base. From there, Wooster got its first out before a single made it a 2-1 game.

Meszaros got the second out of the inning with a line out to second. However, three consecutive hits made it a 5-2 game and Meszaros saw her outing end.

First-year Kaitlyn Hale pitched the final four outs, allowing just one hit in the process.

Wooster's first two runs came in the third off a fielding error at second. A slight hesitation at first base and smart baserunning from Cate Barkdoll allowed Wooster to plate two on the play.

Wooster's other score came in the sixth when Madi Yankauskas scored on a passed ball.

Barkdoll led the squad with a 2-for-3 game with a double. Meszaros, Sarah Lodge and Katie Mommers each recorded a hit.

In game two, the Scots scored three runs on four hits but it was enough to put the Blugolds away behind starting pitcher Tori Conner.

Meszaros helped her fellow pitcher out in the third with an RBI single through the right side which put Wooster ahead 1-0.

Wooster plated another two runs in the fourth as Barkdoll led the inning off with a triple. Lodge brought the junior home on a fielder's choice, while Shelby Ellsworth later scored Lodge on a single to right field.

Conner was dealing for most the game but ran into some trouble in the sixth, which Meszaros got her out of. 

Conner finished at 5.2 innings, allowing four hits and no runs. She moves to 4-7 on the year.

Meszaros got two quick outs in the seventh, but that's when the Blugolds attempted their comeback. They got one across against the first-year before the Scots turned to Hale to get the final out.

After hitting the first batter, Hale struck out the last with the bases loaded for her first career save.

Meszaros, Barkdoll, Ellsworth and Lynnsey Delio each collected a hit. Of note, Lodge had a 12-game hitting streak come to an end.

Next, Wooster (7-15) hosts four games next weekend with the first two a return to North Coast Athletic Conference action when they host DePauw University on Saturday.