The Valpo softball team split a pair of games Friday at the UNLV Rebel Classic from Las Vegas, never trailing in a 7-5 win over Merrimack before surrendering a lead late in an 8-6 loss against Idaho State.
 
How It Happened – Merrimack

• After a scoreless first two frames, Valpo broke through with a four-run third inning. Mack Gallagher (Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East [MSU Moorhead]) delivered a two-run double to open the scoring, while Kaia Garnica (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield Central) and Marissa Jackson (Willis, Mich./Huron) had RBI singles later in the frame.
• Garnica lined an RBI single off the Merrimack pitcher for the second straight inning to make it 5-0 Beacons through four frames.
• Merrimack got on the board with a single run in the top of the fifth, but the Beacons responded in the bottom half of the inning with a two-run single by Madison Vrastil (Oak Forest, Ill./Andrew) to push their lead to 7-1.
• The Warriors rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth to close to within two before reliever Kayla Purdy (Matthews, N.C./Porter Ridge) induced back-to-back grounders back to the circle to maintain the 7-5 edge.
• After Merrimack's leadoff batter reached via walk in the seventh, Caitlyn Quickle (Leesburg, Ohio/Fairfield Local) entered in relief and retired all three batters she faced to close out the win.

 
How It Happened – Idaho State

• Valpo opened the scoring in the third inning as Garnica laid down a squeeze bunt to plate Krug.
• The Beacons added two more runs in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from Krug and a double down the left-field line by Vrastil to go ahead 3-0.
• The Bengals cracked their side of the scoreboard with a single run in the fifth and then exploded for five runs on five hits and a walk in the sixth to take a 6-3 lead in the sixth.
• Valpo answered in its half of the sixth to level the score. Kim Rodas (San Bernardino, Calif./Cajon) drove in two with a base knock and later came around to score on an RBI single by Krug.
• The Beacons were within one strike of getting out of the top of the seventh still tied before ISU's Ava Brown connected on a two-run homer with two outs and an 0-2 count for the final margin. Valpo got the potential tying run to the plate in the bottom half of the frame, but was unable to erase the two-run deficit.

 
Inside the Games

• Valpo's win over Merrimack snapped a five-game losing streak for the Beacons.
• The Beacons have had the potential tying run either at the plate or on the basepaths in the seventh inning of five of their six losses this season.
• Gallagher extended her on-base streak to 11 straight games to open the season on Friday, as she reached twice with two RBIs against Merrimack and then picked up a base hit against Idaho State.
• One day after having her season-opening hitting streak come to an end, Jackson went 3-for-4 in the win over Merrimack and 1-for-2 versus Idaho State.
• Vrastil stole a pair of bases against Merrimack, extending her career mark to 27 — 10 of which have come this year — without being caught. The sophomore went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and two RBIs against the Warriors as well.
• Garnica's season-opening on-base streak came to an end against Idaho State at 10 games after she went 2-for-4 with two RBIs in the win over Merrimack.
• Sydney McDermott (Stout, Ohio/Portsmouth West) threw the opening 5.1 innings to earn the victory in the circle against Merrimack, improving to 4-2 on the season. Quickle registered the save, the first of her collegiate career.
• The bottom of the batting order shined against Idaho State, as Cadan Brinkman (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community [Campbell/Wofford]) scored two runs, Rodas tallied two RBIs and Krug went 2-for-2 with two RBIs.
• Azalya Lopez (Corona, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt [MSU Moorhead]) reached base three times against the Bengals, going 1-for-2 with two walks — this after drawing two free passes in the opener against Merrimack as well.
• Purdy took the loss against Idaho State, as she threw the final 1.2 innings in relief, falling to 0-1 on the season.

 
Next Up
Valpo (5-6) sees its schedule lighten each of the next two days, as the Beacons will play just once Saturday and Sunday. Saturday's contest is a rematch from Thursday against Utah Valley, slated for 11:30 a.m. CT.