The Buena Vista softball team began its home schedule on Thursday night and used a thrilling seventh-inning rally in game two to earn a 7-6 win and a doubleheader split against visiting Dordt College.

The Defenders got a pair of two-run home runs and a two-run double in the opener to help lift them to the 7-3 victory in the opener.  BVU led 3-2 in the final before Dordt plated four runs in the fifth inning for a 6-3 advantage.  The Beavers then got one run back in the sixth before a walk-off bases loaded walk capped a three run seventh and give the team the one-run victory.

The first two-run blast for Dordt in the opener came in the top of the first inning for an early 2-0 lead.  Another two-run blast in the third made it 4-0 before the Defenders added a two-run double later in the inning followed by a run-scoring double in the fourth for a 7-0 cushion. 

The Beavers tried to mount a comeback as Sam Engleman belted a two-run home run of her own - her second roundtripper of the year - to make it a 7-2 contest.  Stephanie Hayden's suicide squeeze plated the final run for BVU in the seventh.

BVU finished with only four hits in the contest.  Jenna Falline suffered the loss for the Beavers, going the first four innings, allowing all seven runs on nine hits, while walking one.  Brittney Kubik came on and worked the final three frames, allowing just three hits, while striking out one and walking two.

Dordt again jumped out to a lead after a half inning, but the Beavers answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half.  Jessica Stocker drove in the first on a fielder's choice before Engleman doubled to give BVU its first lead of the day.

Dordt came back in the second with a run to tie it at 2-2 only to see the Beavers go back in front in the third when Engleman drove in her fourth run of the day with her second double of the contest.

The Defenders then built a 6-3 lead in the fifth with a three-run home run followed by a solo shot.

Berkey pulled the Beavers back within two on a sacrfice bunt to third before the rally in the seventh.

Freshman Cheyanne Boland drew a one-out walk to get things started before Hayden singled to center and Jordon Pilcher singled to left to load the bases.  Stocker then lined a single to center to make it a 6-5 game before the Beavers tied it on a wild pitch.  After Engleman walked to load the bases again, Marissa Schmidt then worked a full count one batter later before laying off a shoulder-high pitch to drive in the winning run.

The first four hitters in the Beaver line-up went a combined 8-for-13 in the game with four RBI and scored five of the seven runs. 

Kubik got the start and pitched the first three innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out one.  Lesa Turnquist then came on in relief and was charged with four runs on four hits in one inning of work before Falline took over.  She would earn the win to improve to 2-3 on the year after allowing just one hit and striking out a pair in three innings.

Dordt College is now 4-14 on the year while BVU sits at 2-6.

The Beavers will now head south to Clermont, Fla., for spring break and play 10 games in six days beginning with games on Sunday, March 23, against Hamline Univ. at 12:00pm and Carthage College at 2:00pm.