EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Wabash Valley erupted for five runs in the seventh inning to rally to a 9-7 softball win over Danville Area on Saturday at the Midwest Juco Bash.
The Lady Warriors could not sustain the momentum in their second game of the day, however, as they fell to Des Moines Area, Iowa, 10-5, to finish with a weekend split of four games.
WVC thus completes the non-conference portion of the schedule with a 5-12 record. Jade Montgomery's team begins Great Rivers Athletic Conference play on Tuesday with a doubleheader at Southeastern (8-4).
In the opener, Wabash Valley entered the top of the seventh inning trailing Danville Area, 7-4. But the first five batters all singled, including a two-run hit by Kinsly Heichelbech that narrowed the deficit to 7-6.
With the bases loaded, Abbi Mocaby reached on an error, allowing two more runs to score and putting the Lady Warriors ahead for good at 8-7.
Gracee Sullivan finished the dramatic turnaround when she scored on a passed ball.
That left it up to pitcher Kyrsten White, who had come on in relief of starter Demi Wolfe in the fifth. Danville Area (7-6) had two runners on base when shortstop Mocaby snared a liner for the final out of the game.
Wabash Valley collected 14 hits in the game, with three coming from Sullivan. Heichelbech, Abby Schreiner, Mocaby, and Kamille Johnson each had two hits.
The Lady Warriors banged out 11 more hits in the nitecap, but it was not enough as Des Moines Area (10-3) had 16 of its' own.
WVC scored twice in the top of the first inning for the only lead it would have in this one. Kinley Edwards delivered with a two-run double, but the lead did not hold for long because Des Moines Area countered with three runs in the first, two in the second, and one more in the third for a 6-2 lead.
Wabash Valley closed the gap with two runs in the fourth. Marisa Lane singled up the middle to make it 6-3, then scored on a ground out by Kendall Rooney that made it 6-4.
The Bears went back to work, scoring three times in the bottom of the fourth to make it 9-4.
WVC scored once more in the fifth. Sullivan hit a ground ball that allowed Heichelbech, who hit a leadoff double, to score from third.
Four Warriors finished with two hits in the game: Heichelbech, Sullivan, Mocaby, and Edwards.
In the circle, White went the first 1 1/3 innings, with Lexi Burris working the final 4 2/3 innings.
The games were played at Deaconess Sports Park, a sprawling complex on Evansville's northside.