Cornell takes two from St. Olaf

In its final tune-up before Iowa Conference play, Cornell's softball team swept a doubleheader from St. Olaf - 7-1 and 4-2 - Saturday afternoon at Mount Vernon Softball Complex.

The Rams (11-3) got solo home runs from Nicole Duncan and Sam Tonelli in the opener, while freshman pitcher Amanda Engel improved her season record to 4-0 with a complete-game three-hitter in the nightcap.

Cornell moved to 4-0 at home this spring and has won five of its last six overall.

In the opener, the Rams broke open a 2-1 game with a five-run fourth inning. Tonelli led off the frame with her first home run of the season, a blast to center field. Carly Goolsby singled home a run and Duncan added an RBI double. Jill Trzaska capped the big inning with a two-run double that put the Rams ahead 7-1.

Duncan went 2-for-4 with two runs and a pair of RBIs. She hit a solo homer in the third. Goolsby and Tonelli also collected two hits apiece.

Trzaska (5-1) earned the win on the mound, allowing one run and three hits with six strikeouts over four innings. Freshman Jackie Sernek fired three scoreless innings in relief, fanning four.

Engel held the Oles (3-11) in check in the second game. She didn't give up a hit until a bloop single touched the ground in shallow center field with one out in the fifth. Engel struck out three and walked two.

Sophomore Brooke Griffin put the Rams on top early, doubling in two runs in the bottom of the first. Cornell stretched the lead to 4-0 in the third on a two-run single from Tonelli.

Goolsby extended her hitting streak to 17 games with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, which included her team-high sixth double of the season. Griffin and Tonelli both had a pair of hits and two RBIs. Duncan scored two runs.

Rams in the rankings - Goolsby leads all conference players in batting average (.596) and on-base percentage (.612). She is fourth in slugging percentage (.766) and seventh in hits (28).

Freshman Rebekah Ozga ranks sixth in the league in stolen bases with seven. Rachel Aubry stands eighth with five steals.

IIAC opener - The nationally-ranked Luther Norse (16-4, 0-2 IIAC) come to town Tuesday for Cornell's IIAC-opening doubleheader at 4 p.m. at Mount Vernon Softball Complex. Luther, which dropped two games to Coe Saturday, is ranked No. 4 in the NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll.

The Norse beat Cornell twice last season in Decorah, 6-2 and 5-0. Cornell's last win over the Norse was in 2005.

Cornell continues a 10-game homestand with doubleheaders against St. Ambrose (Friday, April 8), Dubuque (Saturday, April 9) and UW-Platteville (Tuesday, April 12).