Winter Dome Tournament scores

St. Ambrose opened the 2019 season by taking 3-of-4 in its own Winter Dome Tournament Saturday and Sunday in the Ambrose Dome. The Bees took two games from Lincoln College and also defeated Mount Mercy while falling to Aquinas, a team receiving votes in the NAIA top-25 poll.

Christina Pembrook was the star in Saturday's opener, a 2-1 decision over Mount Mercy. She went the distance, striking out seven while allowing just two hits and the one run.

She got the support she needed in the fifth. Madelyn Thompson started the frame with a ground-rule double and moved to third on a wild pitch. She came around to score on Libby Munsterman's base hit up the middle. Munsterman immediately stole second and took third when the catcher's throw found its way into the outfield. Two batters later, Karley Kopaska's sacrifice fly plated Munsterman with what proved to be the winning run.

Later in the day, the Bees pounded out eight hits in an 8-0 five-inning shutout of Lincoln. Thompson and Morgan Krieger each had two hits. Munsterman and Colleen Barrett each drove in two with run-scoring hits. Pembrook also had an RBI.

Leading just 1-0, SAU broke things open with a four-run third inning. The Bees added three more runs in the fifth.

Jane Thomas got the win after allowing just two hits over four scoreless innings. She struck out nine. Sarah Willman pitched a 1-2-3 fifth to close out the win.

Three St. Ambrose led to six unearned runs in an 8-3 setback to Aquinas in the first game of the day Sunday.

Krieger's first of two RBI hits gave the Bees a 1-0 lead in the third. Aquinas answered with a pair of runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth. Krieger and Munsterman drove in runs in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap to 5-3 but the Saints added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win.

Krieger and Thompson each had two-hit games in the loss. Pembrook took the loss.

Seven different Bees each had at least one hit in the team's final game of the weekend, another 8-0 shutout of Lincoln, this one coming in six innings.

Five of the team's 10 hits came as part of a five-run first inning. Munsterman had the big hit of the frame, a two-run ground-rule double to center. Pembrook, Thompson and Barrett also had RBIs in the opening inning.

Munsterman, Pembrook and Barrett each collected two hits with Munsterman and Thompson each driving in two.

Willman surrendered five hits over four scoreless innings to earn the win before giving way to Thomas, who allowed just one hit over the final two frames.