MOUNT VERNON – Saturday's chilly temperatures did nothing to cool off Cornell's blazing bats during the Midwest Conference opening softball doubleheader with Beloit at Van Metre Family Softball Field.
The Rams slugged five home runs and accounted for 11 extra-base hits in lopsided wins of 15-3 and 11-3. Both games ended via the mercy rule after five innings.
Cornell (10-9 overall, 2-0 MWC) reached the 10-run mark for the sixth and seventh times this season and hiked its season batting average to .351, best in the MWC.
Kloi Barney and
Peyton Souhrada both went 5-for-6 at the plate while
Elise Oleson homered twice to pace the Rams, who racked up 30 total hits.
The Rams closed out Game 1 with a seven-run fourth inning, highlighted by three-run homers from
Brooke Furman and newcomer
Corrin Kennedy. Furman's second homer of the season gave her four RBIs in the game. Kennedy, an impressive sophomore transfer, homered to center field on the first pitch of her first at-bat as a Ram.
Barney went 3-for-3 with three runs in the opener. The Rams received two hits apiece from Furman, Oleson,
Miranda Keith, Souhrada and
Addie Bowman. Oleson, Keith and Bowman each had two RBIs.
Lexi Ellermeier (3-3) tossed all five innings in the circle, allowing five hits.
In Game 2, Oleson connected for a two-run homer in the first inning and another two-run blast in the third. The sophomore slugger now has six homers this spring, topping Cornell's entire team total from last season.
Bowman put a fitting touch on the second game with a three-run inside-the-park home run in the third. It was the first career round tripper for Cornell's senior all-conference outfielder.
Souhrada went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Bowman drove in four runs. Oleson, Barney and Kennedy tallied two hits apiece.
Starting pitcher
Hannah Rhoades (5-2) allowed four hits and two earned runs over four innings to earn the win.
Coming up – The Rams are home Sunday to face defending MWC champion Lake Forest (10-10 overall, 2-0 MWC) for a 1 p.m. doubleheader
