ELMHURST, Ill. - The Elmhurst University softball team opened play at Salt Creek Park in the 2024 season Friday afternoon, taking both ends of a doubleheader with Mount Mary University.

Elmhurst (9-9) came from behind in game one, rebounding from a two-run first inning on defense to keep the Blue Angels (1-16) scoreless across the final three innings to secure a 4-3 victory in game one. In game two, Elmhurst used a strong pitching performance from Ali Mockenhaupt and a balanced offensive attack to win game two, 6-1.

Four different Bluejays tallied RBI's in game one, with Brenna Morley, Gianna Amundsen, Alex Kiriakopoulos, Hailee Jenkins, and Chiara O'Leary batting in runs, while Bailley Proffitt tallied a pair of hits and two runs scored to help the Bluejay offense. In the circle, Emma Lenczewski earned the win with four innings giving up just one run while adding a strikeout, improving to 2-0.

Mount Mary tallied a pair of runs in the opening inning to lead early, but an RBI groundout from Kiriakopoulos cut the deficit to one, which became zero after an RBI single from Amundsen in the third to knot the game at two. Mount Mary again took a one-run lead in the fourth, but the Bluejays responded with an RBI knock by Jenkins and a fielding error scoring the go-ahead run. Lenczewski followed with three shutout innings to seal the home-opening win for Elmhurst.

In game two, Bailley Harveth led all hitters with a pair of RBI, while Amundsen and Mockenhaupt each tallied one RBI. In the circle, Mockenhaupt earned the win thanks to five innings and one run (zero earned runs) with no walks and four strikeouts, improving to 1-2 on the season.

The Bluejays scored three runs in the first three innings from a sac fly off the bat of Amundsen, a Mockenhaupt double, and a Harveth single. Mount Mary found a run in the fifth from an error, but Harveth again struck with a single to score a run, and coming around to score on a throwing error. Lenczewski made her second appearance of the day in the circle in the sixth, pitching two shutout innings to secure the victory for Elmhurst.

UP NEXT

Elmhurst will host Beloit College for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, March 30. 

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