ROSEMOUNT, Minn. -- A career-best tying 13-strikeout performance from senior pitcher Mari Jo Long (Willmette, Ill./ New Trier) and a wild final two innings helped Carleton rally for an 8-7 triumph over Minnesota-Morris in the Knights’ season opener.
After playing all last season without Long, who was studying abroad in Japan, Carleton immediately felt the impact of her return, notching the team’s first victory since May 2, 2007.
Long, an All-MIAC performer in 2007, made her first appearance in a Knights uniform in 22 months and scattered eight hits and surrendered only four earned runs while fanning 13 to match her career high set on March 20, 2006 vs. Lawrence University.
The Knights trailed 6-0 heading into the home half of the sixth inning, then plated four runs as eight consecutive batters reached base.
The Cougars added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for a wild finish.
Senior Lisa Friedman (Pasadena, Calif./Flintridge Preparatory) led off the final frame with a double and advanced to third on Alex Schefter’s (So./Mt. Vernon, Iowa) single. Michael Johnson (Jr./Minneapolis, Minn./Blake) next coaxed a walk, putting the tying runs on base.
Andrea Duron (Sr./Claremont, Calif./Vivian Webb) reached on an error as the first run scored. Long then smacked a sacrifice fly to center field bringing home Schefter for the second run of the inning. On the play Johnson got caught in a rundown between second and third, but an errant throw rolled all the way to the right-centerfield wall, permitting Johnson and Duron to come around and score the tying and winning runs.
Friedman, Johnson, and Dana Mackey (Fy./Hingham, Mass.) each had two base knocks in the opener. Karen Robinson (Fy./Bainbridge Island, Wash.) had a team-best three hits but absorbed the loss in game two as the Cougars earned a split with a 14-2 decision.
Carleton was within a run at 3-2 until the fourth inning when Minnesota-Morris scored four times, including a two-run homer by Stephanie Wilson. The Cougars pushed across seven more runs in the following frame.
The Knights will now take a break from competition in preparation for winter term finals. The team’s next game is against Holy Names University on Friday, March 20, the start of a week-long Spring Break trip to the Sun West Tournament in California.