LA CROSSE, WI – The La Crosse Steam were swept in a doubleheader by the Mankato Habaneros at Copeland Park in front of 695 fans.
In the first game, Steam starter Rachel Mori (William Peace) pitched 3.1 innings, conceding 13 runs on 14 hits.
Habaneros starter Jessa Snippes (Minnesota) went 5 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits.
The Habaneros began their offensive surge in the first inning with an Emma Lee (Trine) 2-RBI single, followed by Paige Zender (Iowa State) scoring on a wild pitch by Mori, making the score 3-0 in favor of Mankato.
In the third inning, Mankato added six more runs with contributions from Jessa Snippes (Minnesota), Paige Zender (Iowa State), Madelyn Birling (Bryant and Stratton), and Serena Timmer (Minnesota-Duluth).
The Steam responded in the bottom of the inning with an Avary Makarewicz (Eastern Illinois) RBI single and a run scored by Grace Frechette (St. Cloud State) on a wild pitch.
However, the Habaneros extended their lead in the fourth inning, scoring another six runs, including hits from Indigo Fish and Serena Timmer, leading to a final score of 15-2. La Crosse’s record fell to 2-7, while Mankato improved to 5-2.
The second game commenced at 7:27 p.m. Steam pitcher Mackenzie Willis (Cal State Monterey Bay) threw 6 innings, allowing 2 runs on 6 hits and striking out 6. Habaneros starter Jenna Sprague (Kirkwood CC) pitched 5.2 innings, conceding 4 runs on 6 hits.
The Steam took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning with a Calli Janik RBI walk and an Avary Makarewicz sacrifice fly.
The Habaneros scored in the second inning on a Sailor Hall RBI double and tied the game in the fifth inning with a Paige Zender RBI triple.
The Steam regained the lead in the sixth inning with a Lindsey Schultz RBI single and an Alyah Langrehr RBI single.
However, in the seventh inning, the Habaneros rallied with an Emma Lee RBI groundout, a Brooke Holmes RBI single, and a Sailor Hall 2-RBI double, resulting in a final score of 6-4. Jayme Scheck (Drake) closed the game for Mankato.
The La Crosse Steam now stand at 2-8, while the Mankato Habaneros improved to 6-2. The Steam will face the Habaneros again tomorrow at home, with the first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m.
