The Big Blue softball team traveled to Cocoa Beach, Florida for a week of games over spring break, coming back 6-2.
The first day saw a pair of wins over St. Norbert College and Hartford College. Their first game, vs. St. Norbert, saw the Big Blue on the board early with a first inning RBI from junior Kailyn Coates, before St. Norbert scored five to open up the second inning. Millikin immediately responded in the third inning, scoring eight runs to make it 9-5. St. Norbert would score one more time in the seventh inning, but it wasn’t enough, and the Big Blue ended victorious in their first game of the eight-game stretch.
Game two, against Hartford, saw less action across home plate. Neither team scored until Millikin put up one at the top of the fifth, and then scored three more in the seventh inning to win 4-0. Freshmen Alyssa Dralle and Emily Reagan pitched games one and two, respectively, earning their first career wins with the Big Blue.
On the second day, Millikin matched up against Harford again, this time falling 8-11. The team came out strong, scoring six runs in the first inning. Each team would score a pair of runs in the second inning, but that was the last time Millikin would be on the board. Hartford scored eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings, and sealed their win with a final run in the seventh inning to put them up 11-8.
Millikin responded with a vengeance in their second game of the day, where they defeated Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 21-2. MCLA scored both of their runs in the first inning, before the game became all Big Blue, as the third inning saw 10 runs, the fourth three runs, and they finished off the game with eight runs in the fifth inning, run-ruling the other team and finishing the game in five innings.
Starting out day three, Millikin matched up against Western Connecticut State and won 4-1 with senior Kelsey Bruno at the plate, only allowing three hits and striking out 11. The second game proved to be a battle from the start, with Millikin scoring the first run of the game in the first inning, only for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to score nine runs of their own in the same inning. The Big Blue fought back, scoring a handful of runs throughout the rest of the game, but it wasn’t enough, and Eau-Claire won 9-6.
On the final day of the trip, the team faced up against St. Norbert for a second time, winning off of a late sixth inning surge. The team, down 4-7, scored five in the sixth inning to lift them to a 9-7 win. The final game of the week, vs. Hamilton College, saw the Big Blue victorious as well. Eight runs between the seventh and seventh innings sealed the win, with the final score being 10-1.
For her efforts at the plate, Bruno earned College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) Pitcher of the Week honors. All three games that Bruno started were wins for the Big Blue, and she collected 28 strikeouts in 19 innings of play.
Sophomore second baseman/outfielder Abby Willis earned Millikin Athlete of the Week after hitting .423 across the week of games and had a total of 11 RBIs during the week.
Aside from just playing softball, the team also grew closer and got a lot of bonding time at the beach. Going into the week, the team was just 2-6 on the season. Now, they are an even 8-8, and look to improve their record when conference play begins in a couple of weeks.
Sophomore outfielder Charley Condill reflected on her time in the Sunshine State.
“The Florida trip was a great experience for the team on and off the field. We found success by working together and having fun while also making memories,” she said.
Condill contributed to many of the wins the team gathered during their trip, earning a career high in runs scored against MCLA with three.
The team has a pair of doubleheaders on March 29th and March 30th to round out their non-conference schedule. Their first CCIW game will be Sunday, April 6, at home against Augustana College. Millikin was picked to end third in the CCIW this year after falling in the conference championship game last season to rival Illinois Wesleyan.
