STORM LAKE, Iowa (Apr. 29, 2024) - The Buena Vista University softball team hosted the University of Dubuque on Monday afternoon for its final two games of the season, but the Beavers ended on a tough note as the Spartans won both games by scores of 14-6 (5 inn.) and 7-5 (8 inn.).

Senior Amanda Franke, playing in her final games of her career, put BVU up 2-1 in the second inning of game one with a sharply hit 2-run single into right center field that scored both Danica Workman and Nikki Griggs. The Spartans, however, tied it in the top of the third inning with an RBI single before BVU answered in the bottom half and grabbed the lead back at 3-2 thanks to an RBI single from Maddy Elwood.

Things then unraveled for the Beavers in the fourth when Dubuque sent 15 batters to the plate and scored 10 runs, including seven with two outs. One of the big hits of the frame was a grand slam from Megan Leick which came two batters after the second out was made.

Senior Nattie Murillo got one run back in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly that made it 12-4. Dubuque plated two runs in the fifth to make it 14-4. Franke kept the Beavers alive in the bottom of the inning with a second 2-run single of the game, and they threatened to keep the game alive with runners at the corners and just one out, but Dubuque turned a double play to end the game.

The two teams combined for 27 hits in the game. Franke was one of four players for BVU to tally two hits in the game and led the way with four RBI. Griggs had two hits and scored a team-leading two runs. Keirsten Trayte pitched a total of 4.0 innings inside the circle and allowed six runs and 10 hits.

The finale was a pitcher's duel in the early going until Dubuque broke a scoreless game in the fourth inning with a solo home run to dead center field. The Spartans then added three more runs in the fifth when two scored on a wild throw on a stolen base attempt before the final run scored moments later on a solo home run.

Dubuque tacked on one more in the sixth for a 5-0 cushion before the Beavers began to rally late. They got within a run in the bottom of the sixth after scoring four times. Katie Hanson came through with a big 2-run double that made it 5-3 before Jamie Wendt added an RBI single. BVU loaded the bases up later in the inning with two outs and pinch hitter Claire Woodworth nearly came through with at least a tying run scoring, but a diving catch by the Dubuque shortstop just onto the outfield grass ended the threat.

After holding Dubuque scoreless in the top of the seventh, Elwood doubled to start the bottom half and moved up to third one batter later on a flyout by Griggs. Kayla Farmer then drove in the game-tying run with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Dubuque (8-23, 2-12 A-R-C) then plated a pair of two-out runs in the eighth inning to regain the advantage at 7-5 before BVU brought the game-winning run to the dish with two outs in the bottom half, but the Spartans got a flyout to dead center to end it.

Elwood finished 2-for-4 with two more runs scored while Wendt also added two hits. Griggs was hit by a pitch in the game and finishes her career with a school record 30.

Grace Fuhrman suffers the loss in relief after pitching the final four innings, allowing three runs and six hits. Senior Kennedi Claycomb got the start in her final collegiate contest and was charged with four runs and three hits over her four innings of work.

Buena Vista ends the season at 7-31 overall (0-16 A-R-C). The games were the final in the careers of: Kennedi Claycomb, Jamie Wendt, Nattie Murillo, Amanda Franke, Claire Woodworth and Nikki Griggs.