ROSEMONT, Illinois. – The IU Southeast softball team fell 7-0 to No. 14 Madonna before rallying in the 11^th inning to defeat Trinity Christian 10-9 in the nightcap to open the 2026 season.
 
Against Madonna, the Grenadiers fell behind 3-0 after an inning. A two-run single by Faith Cramton opened the scoring and then a RBI double Jessica Dunkel expanded the lead.
 
The Grenadiers' lone hit came in the second when Alaina Winzeler singled to left.
 
A four-run fifth inning put the game away for the Crusaders. Consecutive doubles by Brynn Anteau and Cramton scored three runs and an error brought in another.
 
Against Trinity Christian, the Grenadiers opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Josie Lemmons singled to short and scored on a RBI triple by Raycee Stallings. A sacrifice fly by McKenzie Walters made it 2-0.
 
The Trolls tied the game in the top of third but IU Southeast took the lead back with two runs in the fourth.
 
McKenzie Walters singled and stole second. She scored on a RBI double by Kaitlyn Leister. Sofia Guy followed with a RBI double to drive in Leister.
 
The game was tied at 5 heading to the bottom of the sixth. Sofia Guy led off with a triple to center and a RBI single by Winzeler put IU Southeast in front. Madison Olander reached on a fielder's choice and stole second with one out but was left stranded.
 
Trinity Christian rallied to tie the game in the seventh when a walk and hit batter put a runner in scoring position with one out. Anna Lisa Fluder singled to tie the game.
 
The Trolls took a 8-6 lead in the ninth inning but the Grenadiers answered right back in the bottom of the inning.
 
After a sacrifice bunt by Lemmons put runners at second and third with one out, Stalling reached on an error and both runners came around to score.
 
A RBI single by Jessica Pleckham scored Peyton Lowden to send the Trolls back in front in the 10^th but IU Southeast had an answer again.
 
Kaitlyn Chitwood pinch hit and sent a single to right to drive in Leister, but with only one out the Grenadiers stranded the winning run at third.
 
Emma Davis, working her seventh inning of the game, got a flyout for the first out and then a groundout moved the runner to third. She got Ashley Plapp to pop out to short to end the threat and set the stage for the walk-off victory.
 
Josie Lemmons led off the bottom of the 11^th, with a single to left, which moved Emily Wolf to third. A single to left by Stallings won the game for IU Southeast and was her third hit and second RBI of the game.
 
Stallings finished 3-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI. Josie Lemmons, Sofia Guy and Alaina Winzeler all had two hits and Emily Wolf scored three times.
 
Emma Davis worked seven and two-thirds innings and allowed five runs, four earned. She struck out two and walked one for her first win of the year.
 
IU Southeast takes on Cornerstone and Calumet College Saturday night.