MOUNT VERNON – Cornell couldn't capitalize on enough scoring chances Saturday and had its postseason hopes dampened with 5-2, 10-5 Midwest Conference losses to Grinnell in the Rams' home finale at Van Metre Family Softball Field.
 
Cornell (8-25 overall) dropped to 6-8 in MWC play with one doubleheader remaining at 1 p.m. Sunday at Monmouth (8-4 MWC). The Rams need to win both games, AND for Monmouth to lose single games early next week against Knox and Illinois College to make the four-team MWC Tournament.  
 
The Rams had plenty of opportunities to put up more runs against the postseason-bound Pioneers (17-16, 11-3 MWC), stranding 15 total runners in the doubleheader. Cornell had at least one batter reach base safely in 13 of the 14 innings played.
 
Sophomore slugger Miranda Keith led the Rams with five hits on the day. She represented the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh in Game 1 when Grinnell induced a groundout to hold on for the win.
 
Erin Puck singled, tripled and drove in a run. Addie Bowman went 2-for-3 with two runs.
 
Cornell collected 10 hits in Game 2, three off the bat of Keith who also had three RBIs. Keith and Olivia Richards had back-to-back RBI hits in the fifth inning, pulling the Rams to within 6-4. Richards finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
 
Senior outfielder Marissa Faletti singled, doubled and scored twice in her final home game with the Rams. Puck extended her hitting streak to eight games with a 2-for-3 effort.
 
Grinnell accounted for 14 hits against four Cornell pitchers.