APPLETON, Wis. -- The Lawrence University softball team saw its season come to an end Tuesday, as the Vikings dropped a pair of Midwest Conference games to St. Norbert College by the scores of 5-1 and 7-6.
Lawrence (15-12, 6-7 MWC) needed to sweep the Green Knights (17-12, 11-2) to advance to the four-team Midwest Conference Tournament for the sixth consecutive season. All the Green Knights needed was one win to qualify and host the tournament on Friday and Saturday.
St. Norbert jumped on the Vikings from the opening inning, as the Green Knights scored twice. Brie Oehkle delivered a two-out, two-run double in the first. Lawrence cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first when Alex Goodson singled to score Jenna Reichel, who had led off the inning with a walk.
St. Norbert added single runs in the second, fifth and sixth to pull away. The Green Knights managed only six hits against Lawrence starter Catherine Marinac, but Lawrence collected only four hits against winning pitcher Mara Resch.
In the nightcap, St. Norbert led 3-2 heading to the top of the fourth when the Vikings struck for four runs. Lawrence loaded the bases on two singles and a walk when Carrie Van Groll belted the first grand slam of her career to put the Vikings up 6-3.
The Green Knights came back in the bottom of the fourth to score four times, with Lindsey Lubinski picking up a key bases-loaded single that allowed three runs to score.
Resch came on in relief of starter Melissa Strey in the sixth and she worked out of a jam in the seventh to pick up the save. The Vikings had runners at second and third with one out in the seventh, but Toren Johnson was thrown out at the plate and Resch struck out Tammi Weiss to end the game.
Van Groll led Lawrence by going 2-for-4 in the nightcap with a double, a homer and five runs batted in.