Millikin Softball Has Successful Spring Trip

DECATUR — The Millikin University softball team opened the 2013 season with a very successful trip to Florida going 7-2 at the Rebel Spring Games in Kissimmee.

Millikin suffered its first two losses of the season March 15. The Big Blue lost to #1 ranked Montclair State 4-0 and fell to Bridgewater College 6-2. Freshman Raquel Rodriguez (San Antonio, Texas, John Jay H.S.) had Millikin’s only RBI on the day.

First year Head Coach Amber Dohlman led Millikin to its best start ever improving to 7-0 March 14.

In the second game of the day, Millikin defeated St. Norbert 11-3 in five innings. Millikin jumped out to an early two run advantage in the first inning. Leadoff hitter Cora Jeffers (Sherman, Williamsville H.S.) doubled, stole third and then scored on an error to put the Big Blue on the board. Abbie Tinnon’s (Hanna City, Limestone Community H.S.) RBI ground out made it 2-0 Millikin.

Trailing 3-2, Millikin rallied in the bottom of the fourth and regained the lead at 4-3 on a two out two run single by Alyssa Visvardis (Homer Glen, Lockport Township H.S.). A Tess Strang (Urbana, Culver Academy) RBI double make it 5-3 Big Blue. Millikin put the game away in the fifth. Run scoring singles by Rachel Kindred (Ottawa, H.S.) and Becca Thompson (Hanover Park, Schaumburg H.S.) made it 7-3 and then Rodriguez squeezed home Hillary Shelton (Beecher City, H.S.) to put Millikin up 8-3. Strang ended the game with a walk-off three-run homer. Lauren Kitterman (Bloomington, Tri-Valley H.S.) picked up the win.

Millikin downed Lake Forest 8-7. The Big Blue got off to a shaky start and trailed 5-0 after one inning. Millikin rallied in the bottom of the second to tie the game. Rodriguez got Millikin on the board with an RBI single. The Big Blue’s next run scored on a Lake Forest error. Visvardis tied the game with a three-run homerun.

Lake Forest answered with two runs to go up 7-5. In the top of the fifth, Millikin pulled to within one thanks to the speed of Jeffers who singled, stole second and scored on an errant throw. In the top of the seventh, the Big Blue took the lead. Rodriguez started the inning with a single and then stole second. A Jeffers base hit put runners at second and third and Visvardis delivered again with a two-run single to make it 8-7 Big Blue. Visvardis had five RBIs in the game.

Millikin softball team improved to 5-0 with a 10-2 win over Sage College March 12. Strang drove home the go ahead run with a base hit. Visvardis ended the game with a three-run walk off home run. Janet Ellis (Latham, Warrensburg Latham H.S.) was 3-3 at the plate for the Big Blue. Kitterman was the winning pitcher.

Millikin won twice March 11 defeating Mt. St. Joseph 15-7 and Skidmore 11-1.

Millikin pounded out 19 hits in the win over Mt. St. Joseph. Jeffers was 4-4 with a double and a stolen base. The steal established a new Big Blue stolen base record for a career for Jeffers with 64. Visvardis was 3-4 with two RBIs and Tinnon was 3-5. Thompson and Kindred each had two hits for Millikin. Hillary Lambert (Donovan, H.S.) got the win on the mound for Millikin.

In the win over Skidmore, Ellis for 3-3 with RBIs and Tinnon homered with two RBIs. Kindred went 2-3. Kitterman picked up the win on the mound.