ELMHURST, Ill. – The Elmhurst softball team dropped its first home games of the season, coming up short in a pair of losses to 19th-ranked Millikin University. The Bluejays fell 9-3 in game one and Millikin used a walkoff homer to win game two 5-4.
 
MILLIKIN 9, ELMHURST 3 (Game One) – Millikin scored the game's first six runs and never looked back, taking the opening game of the doubleheader 9-3.
 
The Big Blue got on the scoreboard with three runs in the first and three in the second to jump to the early lead. Elmhurst sliced into the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-out, two-run single from Maddie Trost. Chiara O'Leary drove in a run for the Bluejays in the third to make the score 6-3, but Millikin answered back with a two-run double from Camryn Skunderg in the fifth and a run in the sixth to pull away for the 9-3 victory.
 
Trost collected three of the Bluejays' five hits in the loss and drove in two runs.
 
Sydni Gizynski made the start and took the loss for Elmhurst, surrendering four hits and three earned runs in two innings of work. Aly Armstrong earned the win for Millikin, working four innings and allowing two hits and three runs. She walked two and fanned five.
 
MILLIKIN 5, ELMHURST 4  (Game Two) – Millikin's Lanie Chizmark delivered a pinch-hit, two-run walkoff homer to lead Millikin to a 5-4 win in game two.
 
The Big Blue jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second when Kendallyn Davison delivered a two-out, three-run double to start the scoring.
 
Elmhurst broke through in the top of the fifth. Julia Noga doubled off the left field fence. Reese Coon followed with an infield single that Millikin threw away, allowing Noga to score and Coon to go to second. After a single from Jackie Orel put runners on the corners, Chiara O'Leary drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to pull Elmhurst to within a run.
 
The Bluejays pulled even at 3-3 in the sixth on a run-scoring double from Alex Kiriakopoulos. After back-to-back walks loaded the bases, Briana Pisauro's grounder drove home Kiriakopoulos, giving the Bluejays a 4-3 lead.
 
Elmhurst retired the first batter in the bottom of the seventh, but Davison blooped a single to center field and Chizmark smashed a pinch-hit, walk-off homer to center field to give the Big Blue the win.  
 
Jena Hicks made the start and took a no decision, allowing just fur hits and three runs in three innings. Brianna Pisaruo took the loss in relief despite pitching well. Pisauro allowed three hits and two earned runs in 3.1 innings of work.
 
Elmhurst travels to Carthage College on Monday, April 11.