Softball Drops Pair of Games to Open Season in Iowa

(Davenport, IA)-- After the originally scheduled trip to Williamsburg, Kentucky was cancelled due to the forecasted weather, the Cleary Cougar softball team was able to find a pair of games at the Ambrose Dome in Davenport, Iowa on Saturday.

In Game 1 vs. Mount Mercy:  After two scoreless innings to start the game, Mount Mercy struck first in the bottom of the third inning on a RBI single scoring one run, and giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.  Cleary responded in the top of the fourth to tie and then take the lead.  Maddie Bunkoske and Arianna Harden led off the inning with back to back singles, and Ashleigh Tatara came through to score Bunkoske with an RBI single of her own.  The next batter, Lauren Gannon, grounded out, but the effort was still a strong one, as Arianna Harden came around to score on the play, and Cleary led 2-1.  Mount Mercy tied the game in the bottom of the fourth after a RBI triple, and made the score 2-2.  Still tied in the top of the sixth, Maddie Bunkoske hit her first career home run over the left field fence, giving Cleary a 3-2 lead.  The Mustangs would once again tie the game with a home run in the bottom half of the inning.  Cleary would get the leadoff runner on to start the seventh, after Lauren Gannon singled and stole second.  Grace Pasterik singled to right to score Gannon, and would later come around to score after Mia Rzepka tripled to the right field gap, giving the Cougars a 5-3 advantage.  After allowing a leadoff single, Cleary would get the next two batters out in the bottom of the seventh, but the Mustangs rallied with a triple, a single, and then a walk-off home run to lose the game 7-5.

Halle Dargie suffered the loss for the Cougars, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits in 6.2 innings pitched while striking out 6 batters.  Maddie Bunkoske went 2/4 with 2 runs and 1 RBI, while Ashleigh Tatara went 2/3 with a RBI.  

In Game 2 vs. St. Ambrose:  The Bees of St. Ambrose scored one run in the first inning, and added three more in the third to take a 4-0 lead.  The Cougars would answer in the top of the fourth.  Mia Rzepka got the inning started with a double to left field, and scored on the next at bat after Maddie Bunkoske singled.  Bunkoske would advance to second on the throw home to get into scoring position.  Arianna Harden would hit a ground ball to the short stop in the next at bat, but the throw was off the mark, and Bunkoske would score on the error.  The rally would end there, however, as the Cougars couldn't score any more runs in the inning.  St. Ambrose answered with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth, and another pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the game 9-2 through five innings.

Haley Ludwig would suffer the loss on the mound, allowing 6 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits.  Maddie Bunkoske added two more hits going 2/3 with a run and a RBI.  Cleary would also get hits from Mia Rzepka  and Olivia DeJohn in the game.  

Cleary is now 0-2 on the season, and will return to action on Saturday, March 1, in Lakeland, Florida with a double-header against the Southeastern University Fire.  Game one is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM.