MOUNT VERNON, Iowa -- The Lawrence University softball team opened Midwest Conference play on Saturday with a pair of losses to Cornell College at Van Metre Field.
    Cornell won the opener 17-3 in five innings, and the Rams held on for a 6-5 victory in the second game.
    In the second game, the Vikings were down 6-3 before rallying in the top of the seventh. The rally started with walks to Lizzy Jorgensen, Mattigan Haller and Mary Boyle to load the bases. Jordan Wallin-Swanson then singled to center field to score Jorgensen and Haller and trim the lead to 6-5. 
    Chapin Grumhaus then lined out to second base before a wild pitch moved Wallin-Swanson and Boyle into scoring position. The Rams got Taylor Hughes to ground out to end the threat.
    Wallin-Swanson went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, and Haller was 2-for-3, scored a run and drove in a run. Wallin-Swanson pitched the first four innings and took the loss.
    Lawrence (2-20, 0-2 MWC) jumped on top when Mikayla Jeneske doubled to start the game and later scored on Haller's single for a 1-0 lead. The Rams tied the game in the bottom half of the inning.
    The Vikings grabbed the lead back in the third when Jeneske reached on an error and scored on Jorgensen's double for a 2-1 edge. Cornell grabbed the lead back in the bottom of the fifth when the scored five times for a 6-2 edge. 
    Lawrence closed to 6-3 when Wallin-Swanson homered to start off the sixth inning.
    In the opener, Cornell (4-13, 2-0) scored 10 runs in the first inning and pulled away from there. The Rams had 11 hits and took advantage of eight walked and three Lawrence errors.
    Lizzy Angemi made the start and took the loss.
    Boyle went 2-for-3 with a double and drove in two of Lawrence's three runs.  
    The Vikings are back in action on Sunday when they travel to Monmouth College.