The Lion Classic did not bode well for the home team, as the Lady Lions (1-4) managed just a single win out of five matches.
After sitting out of Friday’s games due to weather constraints, the Lady Lions took to the field against the University of Akron Zips.
The Zips broke the silence quickly with a two run home run by junior Alissa Birkhimer in the first off of junior pitcher Kenna Terry. The Zips added to their lead in the third with another home run by Birkhimer, adding three more runs to the total.
After Akron scored two more runs in the top of the fifth, senior third baseman Lauren Coniglio managed to score after a double by sophomore shortstop Kayla Elswick. Elswick scored from second after a single by sophomore second baseman Megan McCullom, shrinking the lead to 7-2. Each team would add one more run before the end, ending in a Lady Lion loss, 8-3.
The second game on Saturday, against the Kansas Jayhawks, only lasted five innings due to the mercy rule. The Jayhawks piled the runs on early and often, before the umpires called the game at 11-0.
The Lady Lions kept it a much closer game against the University of Northern Colorado Bears. After a pair of walks by junior outfielders Michelle Duhe and Kelsey Nichols, two wild pitches and a double by infielder Katie Doyle plated three runs in the top of the first inning for the Lady Lions.
The lead would not last long though, as the Bears scored four in the bottom of the second inning. The Lady Lions tacked on one more run when a sac-fly by Nichols evened things up at four in the fourth. A run in the bottom of the inning put the Bears on top once again. The Lady Lions scored one more, looked destined to send the game into extra innings before a fall out in the seventh cost the Lady Lions one run and the game.
Sunday started off better for the Lady Lions, winning against the Northern Illinois Huskies in a mercy rule victory. Six runs in the sixth inning and a stingy pitching performance by senior Vicki Honeycutt put the Lady Lions in the win column for the first time in the 2012 season.
Lady Lions head coach Pete Langlois was excited to see the Lady Lions hitting and pitching during a weekend of good competition.
“The good thing is the opponent that we face really have some fire power,” said Langlois “You usually don’t get to find out if you have good hitting and pitching on the first day and that’s what we looked for in that opening weekend.”
The second game, however, revealed the same results as the day before. Junior Katie Morse surrendered eight runs, including three in the sixth.
The team will play their next game on Wednesday, Feb. 15 against Louisiana Tech in Ruston, La at 3 p.m.