MOUNT VERNON – With the wind blowing out and gusts reaching nearly 40 miles per hour, conditions were ripe for an offensive-filled doubleheader Sunday at Van Metre Family Softball Field.
 
But nobody could have imagined the 70 runs and 78 hits generated between the Cornell and Dubuque teams. And certainly not the two dramatic walk-off blasts Cornell celebrated to win both games.
 
Sophomore No. 9 batter Brooke Furman launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to lift the Rams to a 20-19 comeback win in Game 1.
 
And it got more improbable late in Game 2, when freshman pinch hitter Kloi Barney deposited a two-out, two-strike pitch over the left-field wall for a three-run homer that sent the Rams to a 16-15 victory.
 
They were the first collegiate home runs for both Furman and Barney, who helped Cornell (7-6) extend its winning streak to four games with its second sweep in as many days. Dubuque dropped to 11-5.
 
The Rams improved to 4-2 in home game. Three of those wins have been decided on walk-off home runs.
 
Cornell led 14-6 through four innings in Game 1, although found itself trailing 19-15 going into the bottom of the seventh. Four consecutive hits – including RBI singles by Monet Roelle and Brianna Risley – cut the deficit to 19-17 with two runners on and still nobody out.
 
That set the stage for Furman, the only Cornell starter at that point not to register a hit in the game. Furman turned on an 0-1 offering and belted it over the left-field fence. The winning homer was Cornell's 23rd hit of the contest.
 
Risley finished 5-for-5 with a homer, double and four RBIs. Roelle went 4-for-5 with a homer, double, four runs and five RBIs. Souhrada tallied three hits, including two doubles, and drove in three. Furman totaled four RBIs.
 
Hannah Rhoades pitched the final inning to earn the win. She was the fifth Ram pitcher to enter the game.
 
In Game 2, the Rams trailed 15-12 and were down to their final out in the seventh. Cornell put two runners on for Alexa Corona, who extended the game with an RBI single that made it 15-13.
 
Then out came Barney from a cold Cornell dugout to pinch hit with runners at the corners. Barney put a fitting final touch on a wild day with a towering home run. It was her first extra-base hit of the season.
 
Corona went 4-for-5 with four RBIs from the leadoff spot. Elise Oleson homered, doubled and drove in five. Souhrada had three hits. Lilly Dierkes, Risley and Furman also had multi-hit games.
 
Winning pitcher Rhoades (4-0) logged all seven innings and remained unbeaten on the season.
 
Coming up – The Rams play host to rival Coe (5-13) for a 4 p.m. doubleheader Wednesday in Mount Vernon. Game 1 will count toward the 2024-25 Bremner Cup All-Sports Series, which Coe leads 6-4.