GRINNELL, Iowa (Mar. 22, 2025) - The Buena Vista softball team returned to the diamond on Saturday for a non-conference doubleheader at Grinnell College, and the Beavers used a big fifth inning in game one to break a tie and go on to win 10-7 before rallying with three runs in the sixth inning of game two en route to a 7-5 triumph.

BVU loaded the bases with two outs and the score tied at five in the fifth before senior Paige Druskis gave the Beavers the lead with a two-run single followed by a three-run inside the park homerun from freshman Bradi Krager that made it 10-5. Grinnell mounted a rally in the sixth by plating two runs of its own with two outs that made it a 10-7 game but Kali Irlmeier got out of any further damage by getting a groundout to end the inning. Grinnell got a leadoff walk to start the seventh but after a fielder's choice, Irlmeier closed things out by getting a double play ground ball to end the game.

Krager was 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and three RBI to help lead the offensive charge at the top of the line-up. Senior Madalyn Elwood doubled and finished with a team-high three hits in the contest while driving in one and scoring twice. She was also one of three players to swipe a base. Irlmeier went the distance inside of the circle, scattering 10 hits and six earned runs while striking out four and walking three.

The Beavers jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning of game two by getting an RBI single from Elwood, an RBI double from Kayla Farmer and a sacrifice fly from Rylie Garner. The Pioneers came back to tie it at 3-3 with three runs in the third. Druskis gave BVU the lead back with an RBI single in the fourth only to be followed up in the bottom half by a pair of runs for Grinnell that made it 5-4 in favor of the Pioneers.

That's how things stood until the sixth when Elwood came through with a two-out RBI single followed later on with a two-run single from Farmer. Grinnell loaded the bases with two outs in its half of the inning but BVU got out of the jam with a force out at second base to end the inning. BVU looked to extend the lead in the seventh but stranded a pair of runners, but the Beavers came back in the bottom half to retire the Pioneers (3-9) in order.

Elwood was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and two runs scored for the Beavers while Farmer followed in the line-up by going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Druskis, along with frehman Jordan Fabirkiewcz chipped in with two hits while sophomore Jillian Garcia turned in a team-leading three base hits and scored one run.

Kenzie Dumbaugh came on in relief and earned the win on the mound. She pitched 3.2 scoreless innings and allowed five hits while striking out one.

Buena Vista extends its overall win streak to four games and improves to 5-9 on the year. The team will next play its home opener on Sunday, Mar. 30, as it hosts Cornell College in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.