BEREA, OHIO – The Baldwin Wallace University softball team withstood a late-game rally and defeated NAIA Lourdes University, 8-7, in the second game of a non-league doubleheader at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds Field.  BW won the first game, 10-2, in six innings.
 
The win improves BW to 14-4 overall and is the fourth consecutive victory.  Lourdes dropped to 4-12 overall.

Lourdes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning after a single by freshman Megan Mosiniak brought home freshman Lauren Marstin.

A bases loaded double from senior left fielder Ashley Elber (Huron/Edison) in the bottom of the second plated two runs and gave BW a 2-1 edge.

Lourdes tied the score in the third on a run batted-in single by freshman Hillary West.

Consecutive run-scoring ground outs by senior right fielder Alyssa Brown (Hudson) and junior Academic All-OAC first baseman Kaity Mullen (Avon Lake) in the BW third gave the Yellow Jackets a 4-2 advantage.

Lourdes again tied the game, 4-4, in the fourth frame after a solo home run by freshman Taylor Derr and a RBI double by Mosiniak.

BW took its third lead of the game, 6-4, in its half of the fourth after a bases loaded fielder's choice by Alyssa Brown and a run-scoring single from Mullen.  The Yellow Jackets then extended their lead to 8-4 in the sixth with back-to-back run-scoring singles by junior All-Ohio Athletic Conference designated player Tabitha Murray (Mogadore/Field) and Alyssa Brown.

Lourdes scored once in the sixth, and mounted a two-out, two-run rally in the seventh, but Murray, working in relief, coaxed a game-ending strike out to secure the win.

Murray was 2-for-3 at the plate with her team-leading ninth double of the season, and Mullen was a 2-for-4 with a run scored.  Junior right-handed pitcher Nikki Peskura (Strongsville) scored three runs.

On the mound, Peskura started and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits in one and one-third innings pitched.  Murray pitched the final five and two-thirds innings, allowed five runs (three earned) on seven hits, struck out eight batters and walked one, and earned the win to improve to 11-3.

BW will continue a stretch of five doubleheaders in six days when it hosts Ohio Athletic Conference rival the University of Mount Union tomorrow, Saturday, April 6 at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in a twinbill at 1:00 p.m. The Yellow Jackets also host non-league foe Bethany (W.Va.) College on Monday at 3:30 p.m. and then entertain OAC rival Capital University on Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. to end an eight-game homestand.

FOR MORE BW SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu. Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bwyellowjackets.com and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.