Wilcke's Blast Sends Beavers to DH Split with Dubuque in IIAC Opener

Senior Chancey Wilcke (Battle Creek, Iowa/BC-IG) came on in relief to pitch the final 5.1 innings of game and helped her own cause at the plate by blasting a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning to top the University of Dubuque, 11-7, and salvage a split of Saturday’s Iowa Conference doubleheader.  The Spartans scored a pair of late runs to win the opener, 2-0.

Freshman Jordon Pilcher (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/George Washington) got the rally started by lifting a single down the left field line with one out.  After a fly out, BVU then got an infield single from Brooke Berkey (Colfax, Iowa/Colfax-Mingo) and a walk by Sam Engleman (Hawarden, Iowa/West Sioux) to load the bases for Wilcke, who wasted no time putting the finishing touches on a big come-from-behind win.

The Spartans jumped out to the early 7-1 lead with a run in the first, four more in the second and two more in the third.  BVU tied things up in the first when starting pitcher Jami Webster (Spencer, Iowa/Spencer) drilled a doubled over the centerfielder’s head to score Berkey from second.

The Beavers then began to chip away at the lead with two unearned runs in the fourth when a wide throw from the Dubuque third baseman pulled the first baseman off the base, allowing Taylor Vonnahme (Ainsworth, Iowa/Highland) and Pilcher to score from third and second, respectively. 

After a scoreless sixth by both sides, BVU then pulled even with four runs and five hits.  Senior Aphton Roberts (Primghar, Iowa/South O’Brien) led off with a bunt single to third and Berkey followed with an infield hit to short.  The two then moved up one base on a wild pitch before scoring on an Engleman double to left.  Wilcke then drove in the first of her five runs in the game with a double to center to score Engleman before Stephanie Hayden added yet another double for the Beavers to score Wilcke.

Wilcke finished 2-for-3 at the plate with the five RBI and two runs scored.  She also walked once.  Berkey posted a game-high four hits and also scored three times.  Engleman finished with a pair of hits, scored twice and drove in two, while Pilcher and  Hayden also added two hits each.

Wilcke, who’s now 6-2 on the year, allowed just two runs and scattered eight hits in relief, while striking out one.  Webster went the first 1.2 innings and was charged with five runs on six hits.

Buena Vista is now 7-5 on the year (1-1 IIAC) and will take the diamond again on Sunday afternoon with a non-conference doubleheader at St. Olaf College beginning at 2:00pm.

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