GALESBURG, Ill. –
Jordan Closs tossed her second perfect game of the season, and IC's offense exploded for 22 runs in 10 innings as the Lady Blues swept Knox at the Knox Softball Field on Friday.
The doubleheader was rescheduled after inclement weather washed out the original contests on April 22nd in the second inning of game one.
IC completed the suspended game by winning 9-0 in five innings. The Lady Blues then rolled to a 13-1 five-inning victory in the nightcap.
IC is now 24-16 overall and 13-3 in conference play. Knox dropped to 2-33 and 1-13.
Game 1: IC 9 Knox 0 (5 innings)
Closs picked up where she left off on April 22nd, tossing a perfect game with 12 strikeouts. The five innings of shutout work increased her current scoreless streak to 52 1/3 innings, which is now the 12th-longest in NCAA Division III history. It was also Closs's second perfect game of the season, which are also the first two in IC history. Closs is now 13-3 on the season, including a perfect 8-0 slate in conference play.
The Lady Blues jumped ahead early, scoring seven runs in the first two innings.
Brooke Loveall and
Kendall Cole each had two RBI while
Kayla Serpa had one. IC added two more in the fifth when
Alyssa Teixeira scored on a wild pitch and
Shelby Seiler had an RBI single.
Seiler and Cole each collected three hits for the Lady Blues.
Game 2: IC 13 Knox 1 (5 innings)
Like the first game, IC jumped out early and cruised from there. The Lady Blues scored 12 runs in the first two innings, including seven in the opening frame.
Cole and
Ezzy Mauermann each drove in two runs in the first inning while Seiler added another. The combination of Cole and Mauermann struck again in the second as Cole stroked a two-run single and Mauermann smacked a bases-clearing double. The final IC run came when
Delaney Melton walked with the bases loaded.
Cole (four RBI), Mauermann (five RBI),
Kayla Serpa, and
Taylor Henry all had two hits for IC.
Avery Fritz allowed just two hits with eight strikeouts in her five innings in the circle to post her fifth win of the season.
Blue Notes
IC has now won 11 of its last 12 contests.
Up Next
IC has clinched a berth in the 2025 Midwest Conference Tournament. Tournament pairings and game times will be announced later this weekend at the conclusion of the regular season on Saturday.
