PELLA, Iowa— In a battle between the top teams in the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C), the Wartburg College Knights Softball squad split the series doubleheader with the Central College Dutch.
 
The Knights (20-10, 7-5 A-R-C) won the first game 8-7 before dropping the second game to the Dutch (17-11, 5-3 A-R-C).
 
The Knights went 13-of-27 in the first game before going 12-of-32 in the second game.
 
Game One Recap
 
A sacrifice hit brought home Sydney Fellows (3-of-3) for the first run of the day for the Knights. The Knights doubled their lead as Kaylie Springer (2-of-5) recorded a single RBI as Jordan Swiatkowski crossed home plate.
 
The Dutch took the lead in the bottom of the second, scoring three consecutive runs.
 
Tarah Wehde (0-of-3) tied the game at three, scoring on a throwing error by the Dutch catcher. Ella Link hit a sacrifice fly out to left field as Hannah Happ scored for the Knights.
 
The Knights defense was steady in the fourth, starting the inning with a ground out to third before ending the inning on a double play. The Dutch added two runs off three hits in the bottom of the fifth, taking a 5-4 lead with two innings remaining.
 
Wehde, who tied the game at three, hit a sac fly to left field as Sydney Illg tied the game at five for the Knights. Fellows hit a double to right field for an RBI as Link scored. Lauren Frerichs scored on Jenna Levine's sac fly before Fellows scored on Swiatkowski's double. The Knights took an 8-5 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth.
 
The Dutch added their final two runs of the game in the sixth, off three hits. The Dutch retired the next three batters for the Knights in the seventh before hitting a single in the seventh. The Dutch were called out for stealing second before hitting a fly out.
 
Ashley Nelson (7-3) facing 25 batters, recording 12 outs, two walks, and four runs. Lauren Reicks recorded her first save of the season, seeing action in two innings, ten batters, and two runs allowed.
 
Game Two Recap
 
The Knights offense exploded in the first inning of game two, scoring five runs. Illg pushed the first run across as Wehde's (2-of-3) sac fly to the right field. With bases loaded, Levine (1-of-4) hit a double to center field (3 RBI) as Fellows, Link, and Frerichs scored for the Knights. Swiatkowski (3-of-4) brought Levine home for the fifth run of the inning.
 
Carly Salutric struck out the first batter for the Dutch in the bottom of the first and allowed only one hit in the inning.
 
Illg scored her second run of the game in the second, crossing home plate on Wehde's single up the middle.
 
Salutric allowed three hits in the third inning, as the Dutch put one on the board. The Dutch held the Knights to one hit in the fourth inning. The Dutch added four runs off two hits in the bottom of the fifth, bringing the game within one at 6-5.
 
Frerichs scored on Fellows (1-of-3) single to left field in the sixth, giving the Knights a 7-5 lead. Defensively, the Knights went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth as the Dutch returned the favor in the seventh.
 
An error by the Knights' third basemen tied the game at seven as the Dutch pushed two runs across. The Dutch scored the eighth and final run of the game, on a field's choice for the win.
 
The Knights pitching recording two strikeouts, allowed five walks, and had one wild pitch.

Moving in the Record Book
 
With her 29 runs scored this season, Illg has moved to No. 4 in the record book for career runs. Illg needs 11 runs to pass Ashley Rogers (143 runs).
 
Illg, who has recorded two triples this season, is three away from cracking the Top-10 in the career record. Illg leads the record book for most hit-by-pitch has added to her record (35) as Frerichs is tied for fifth with eleven HBP.
 
Schedule Update
 
The Knights will play Bethel University (MN) on April 28th in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Knights are slated for first pitch at 3 p.m.
 
Next Time Out
 
The Knights return home to Lynes Field on April 23. The Storm of Simpson are slated to visit for an A-R-C doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
 
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