In the first game of the day, MVNU (2-0) made the most of its four hits in the game to pull out a 2-0 victory over Indiana Tech (8-8) in a pitchers’ duel.

The Lady Cougars broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning when junior outfielder Leslie Banichar led off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore second baseman Kristin Kurelic. Freshman outfielder MacKenzie Shaw followed with a single to center field to load the bases, and MVNU took a 1-0 lead on a fielder’s choice by junior shortstop Tasha Konkle.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Lady Cougars tacked on an insurance run. Shaw drew a lead-off walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Konkle, and moved to third on a ground out by junior catcher Caitlin Murphy. Then, junior first baseman Michelle Gastin blasted an RBI-double down the leftfield line to the fence to make it 2-0.

Senior right-hander Candace White (2-0) (left) closed out the victory in the top of the seventh inning by retiring the Warriors in order with a strikeout and two ground outs. She allowed just three hits and one walk over seven innings with four strikeouts in tossing the fifth shutout of her career.

Jessica Williams took the loss for Indiana Tech despite allowing just four hits, two walks, and two runs over six innings with one strikeout.

Offensively, Gastin doubled and Shaw, Wallace, and Banichar each had a single for the Lady Cougars. Williams, Justine Brandt, and Brittany Miller each collected a single apiece for the Warriors.

The second game was another low-scoring affair. Webber International (15-6), which received a vote in the most recent NAIA poll, took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning when Amanda Tindell walked, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, and came around to score on an RBI-single by Erin Holland to center field.

The Lady Cougars finally got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning when Banichar led off with a double down the leftfield line. Kurelic reached on an infield single to put runners at first and third and then promptly stole second base. After Shaw reached on an infield single to load the bases, Konkle was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run to knot the score at 1-1. However, MVNU left the bases loaded as Warrriors’ pitcher Kristen LeFan registered two strikeouts and a pop-up to get out of the inning.

The score remained tied through seven innings and moved into extra innings where the international tiebreaker rule goes into effect with the last out of the previous inning being place on second base. Both the Lady Cougars and Webber International were able to push across an unearned run with two outs in the eighth inning to send the game to the ninth inning tied at 2-2.

In the top of the ninth inning, Murphy lined a two-out RBI-double to score Kurlic and give MVNU a 3-2 lead. Then, in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Warriors were retired in order as the Lady Cougars posted the hard-fought victory.

Freshman right-hander Meagan Brookes started and worked three innings for MVNU as she allowed just one hit, one walk, and one run with two strikeouts. Sophomore lefty Stephanie Burlew tossed 3.1 scoreless innings as she scattered three hits with one strikeout. Then, White tossed the final 2.2 innings and picked up the win as she gave up just two hits and one unearned run with one strikeout.

LeFan (7-3), who was the NAIA National Pitcher of the Week last week, took the loss for Webber International as she gave up 11 hits and three runs (only one earned) in tossing all nine innings. She also struck out 11 batters.

Banichar (right) paced MVNU’s 11-hit attack by going 3-for-4, while Shaw and Murphy both had two hits apiece. Holland collected two of the Warriors’ six hits.

The Lady Cougars will return to action on Monday when the team will play an exhibition game against McHenry Community (Ill.) College at 1:30 p.m. and then another official game against Mount Mercy (Iowa) College at 3:30 p.m.