Courtney Van Haaften | Sports Co-Editor
The Buena Vista University (BVU) softball team clinched the last spot in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) tournament with their 4-3 win over Loras College on Saturday, April 27.
The Beavers were put in a high-pressure situation after they lost the first game of the doubleheader against the Duhawks in a heartbreaking fashion. In the first game, the Beavers were ahead 2-0 going into the top of the seventh inning. Loras hit two solo home runs to tie the score, and then doubled to score another run and put the score at 2-3. The Beavers failed to come back and knew they had to win the second game to earn their spot in the conference tournament.
Although the stakes were high, the team was as confident as ever going into the second game.
“We knew we could do it. We just needed to build off of the loss and bounce back. Coach Hupke told us to take the second game just like any other; to execute each play and play to win, rather than playing to not lose,” senior Jessy Bibler said.
The team proved they could handle the extra pressure. They won the second game by another close score of 4-3. At the bottom of the seventh inning, the score was 2-3, with Loras in the lead. BVU rallied and scored two runs to make the score 4-3. Freshman Faith Schmidt went on to retire the first three batters for the Duhawks in their final at bat to solidify the win for the Beavers. Schmidt finished the game only allowing 4 hits and striking out 8 batters.
This is the team’s second straight trip to the conference tournament. Going into the tournament, they feel that they possess many strengths.
“Our defense is very solid. We make key plays and are always focused knowing what play needs to happen next. The conference tournament will be a challenge but nothing our team can’t handle,” junior Brittney Kubik said.
“Coach has told us all season to push through each game, taking each inning at a time, and if we can do that we will be successful,” Bibler said.
The tournament starts this Thursday, May 2, in Cedar Rapids. The Beavers face off against Luther College at 12 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Stephanie Hayden
