DES MOINES, IOWA – In their Wednesday doubleheader, Grand View secured two shutout wins over Graceland University. A six-inning run rule kicked things off behind a dominant performance from
Madeline Waldorf and a 15-hit showing. Game 2 brought a tighter 2-0 victory, powered by strong defense and a gritty complete game from pitcher
Madi Huisman.
GAME 1 | GRAND VIEW 8, GRACELAND 0 (6 INNINGS)
Madeline Waldorf came out dealing, striking out five across the first two innings to keep Graceland off the board while the Viking offense got to work.
Leadoff hitter
Olivia Harmon set the tone in the bottom of the first with a single up the middle, sparking a string of base hits. After stealing second, she was brought home by
Nevaeh Randall's soft poke into shallow left center.
Samantha Holbert followed with another single before
Reese Cooley drove in Randall with a sacrifice fly, giving Grand View an early 2-0 lead.
The Vikings added another in the second, sparked by a double down the left field line from
Gabriella Taber.
Chloe Kottlowski drove her in with a single to right, stretching the lead to 3-0.
Waldorf stayed locked in through the third and top of the fourth, adding three more strikeouts while inducing two groundouts—including one right back to her—and a flyout.
Grand View's offense came alive again in the fourth with a three-run burst.
Kylie Merical led off with a double down the left line—eerily similar to Taber's earlier hit.
Olivia Kyes followed with an RBI single through the left side, prompting a Graceland pitching change. It didn't slow things down, though, as Randall dropped one into right field that tailed away for a triple and another RBI. She later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-0.
After recording her ninth strikeout, Waldorf handed things over to
Claire Leinen in the fifth. Waldorf finished with nine strikeouts (two looking) over 4.2 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks.
Grand View loaded the bases in the fifth but couldn't tack on more, though Leinen kept things steady with two strikeouts and a groundout to give the Vikings another shot at the run-rule.
They got the early end in the sixth, as Holbert singled up the middle to start the rally, and Cooley reached on an error. Meister followed with an RBI double before Taber's walk-off single sealed the 8-0 win.
Eight Vikings recorded hits in the game as Grand View totaled 15.
GAME 2 | GRAND VIEW 2, GRACELAND 0
Game 2 was a defensive battle, with
Madi Huisman and the Viking defense navigating early trouble to keep Graceland off the board. The Yellowjackets loaded the bases in both the first and third innings, but
Olivia Kyes ended both threats with identical force outs at third.
The Viking offense broke through in the third.
Gabriella Taber singled and advanced on a passed ball before
Kylie Merical ripped a triple to right to bring her in.
Chloe Kottlowski followed with an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Graceland threatened again in the fourth after an error but was left stranded. Huisman locked in, picking up two strikeouts in the fifth and leading a clean sixth with help from Merical, Kottlowski, and a great stretch at first by
Nevaeh Randall on a bang-bang play.
Olivia Harmon led off the sixth with a single, but no insurance runs came across. That didn't matter—Huisman closed the game with a groundout off her ankle, a foul pop to
Reese Cooley, and a final throw from Kottlowski to seal the shutout.
Huisman went the distance, allowing just two hits and four walks while striking out four and forcing 11 groundouts and six flyouts.
GAME NOTES
- Grand View totaled 20 hits in the series, with 15 coming in Game 1.
- 8 Vikings recorded hits in Game 1.
- Gabriella Taber went 3-for-5, with an RBI and a run.
- Kylie Merical finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and 2 runs.
- Chloe Kottlowski and Nevaeh Randall each tallied a team-high 2 RBIs.
- Grand View stole 4 bases in the series, led by Olivia Harmon with 2.
- The Vikings stranded 14 Graceland runners throughout the series, including 8 in Game 2.
- The pitching trio of Madi Huisman, Madeline Waldorf, and Claire Leinen combined for 15 strikeouts, committed no errors, and secured the two-game shutout.
UP NEXT
Grand View will travel to Atchison, Kansas on Saturday, April 12, to take on the Ravens of Benedictine College in a 1:00 and 3:00 PM doubleheader.
