On Friday, April 17th, the Heartland Softball team traveled to Springfield, IL, for a MWAC matchup against the Lincoln Land Loggers.

    Game one, the Loggers hopped on the Hawks early and never let up the gas as they scored half their runs in the bottom of the 1st. Keearrah Brown and Oliva Kobel were on the mound for the Hawks, where they gave up 18 hits and 12 earned runs through four innings. Adding two hits for the offense were Kobel and Sophia Beckett, who hit at the top of the lineup. Three free bases were awarded to the Hawks through 18 batters. With five base runners, the Hawks were unable to score a run and lost to Lincoln Land 0-18.

    Game two was a different story as the seven innings were contained to three total runs from both teams. Going scoreless into the fourth inning, the Hawks opened things up by capitalizing on a Loggers error. Nataliha Oleniczek started the inning off with two outs already accounted for. The freshman shortstop doubled and advanced to third on a single by Kendall Lowery. When Lowery went to steal, the Loggers' second baseman wasn't able to hold onto the ball, plating the first run and advancing Lowery to third. Brown rounded the inning off with a single to score the second and last run for the Hawks.
    Sophomore Tayla Eaves took the mound and completed the game, only allowing six hits and one run in the bottom of the seventh. The right-hander faced 29 batters and only let up three free bases while striking out a total of five. Both of the performances on the mound and at the plate secured the 2-1 victory for the Hawks over the Loggers as they walked away from the day splitting.

    Heartland Softball takes the next day off before returning to the Corn Crib for another MWAC doubleheader against the Parkland College Cobras on Sunday, April 19th.