DAVENPORT, Iowa. - The Softball season is here, and in February no less as the Golden Eagles open their season with a 6-1 win over Viterbo and a 3-1 loss to Saint Ambrose. Alyssa Braam was dominant on the mound to open the season for the Golden Eagles, going six, one-run innings with eight strikeouts as the bats got going early thanks to a two-run homer from Moriah Sprague in the first inning. Cornerstone added a few more runs and opened their season with a victory.

Saint Ambrose jumped on the Golden Eagles early, scoring a run in the first. The bats of the Golden Eagles remained silent all game until Jolie Groeneveld got the first hit of the game in the seventh inning, but Cornerstone would fall in their second game 3-1. Softball will be right back in action tomorrow for two more games with the first one starting at 8:30 a.m.
 
Game One Highlights – Cornerstone – 6 Viterbo – 1

• Alyssa Braam got the start for the Golden Eagles to open the season and worked a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout to get the bats to work. Mackenzie Nagelhout got the first hit of the season for the Golden Eagles with a single and would later score on a homerun from Moriah Sprague. Cornerstone leads 2-0 after the first inning.
• Cornerstone had runners on first and third after singles from Dylan Holmes and Abbey Brower but were not able to cash in the opportunity in the second inning.
• Mackenzie Nagelhout opened the third inning with a double into left field and would later score on a Viterbo error to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead.
• Alyssa Braam has continued to dominate on the mound, allowing just two hits through four innings with five strikeouts.
• Jolie Groeneveld got a one out double to start the rally for the Golden Eagles. She would score on a Mackenzie Nagelhout RBI fielder's choice to make it 4-0 Cornerstone. Nagelhout would score on a double steal to extend the lead to 5-0 with one out. Sam Timmer comes through with a two out RBI single to make it a 6-0 game, a three-run inning.
• Viterbo opened the sixth inning with a triple and would score a few pitches later on a wild pitch, making it 6-1.
• Grace Paling pitched for the first time this season in the seventh inning and worked a scoreless frame to give Cornerstone their first win of the season 6-1.

 
Game Two Highlights – Saint Ambrose – 3 Cornerstone – 1

• Two batters into the game, Saint Ambrose has scored the first run of the game to take an early 1-0 lead over the Golden Eagles in the first inning.
• Saint Ambrose opened the second inning with a double and would later score on an RBI groundout to second to take a 2-0 in the second inning.
• Through three innings of play, Saint Ambrose leads Cornerstone 2-0 as the Golden Eagles have yet to have a runner on base.
• Mackenna Gilde strikes out the side in the fourth inning, getting out of trouble leaving a runner at third base.
• A one out walk eventually leads to run for Saint Ambrose as they have extended their lead to three in the fifth inning.
• The Golden Eagles have yet to have a runner reach base through six innings as they head into the seventh and final inning trailing 3-0.
• Jolie Groeneveld opened the seventh inning with a leadoff triple to give Cornerstone their first hit and runner of the game. She would later score on an Anna Griffioen groundout to make it 3-1. Saint Ambrose would get the final out of the seventh and take the game 3-1.

 
 
By The Numbers
8 – Alyssa Braam opened the season with an eight-strikeout performance.
5 – The Golden Eagles stole five bases, Mackenzie Nagelhout had two of them
2 – Jolie Groeneveld and Mackenzie Nagelhout both had two hits for the Golden Eagles
1 – Moriah Sprague hit the first homer of the season for with a two-run shot
 
What's Next?
Softball is back in action tomorrow as they take on College of Saint Mary and Culver-Stockton Sunday, February 11.
 
Softball Contact: Jonny Strube
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