OSKALOOSA, Iowa - The Ashford University softball team closed out the 2010 season over the weekend at the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament, defeating St. Ambrose University in the opener before falling to William Penn University and again in the rematch with St. Ambrose.

Sophomore Nicole Woodard of Carbon Cliff, Ill., shut down the Bees in game one, allowing only four hits and no runs during a 2-0 Saints victory. The Saints succumbed by 2-0 scores in the other games against the host Lady Statesmen and Queen Bees.

The Saints got on the board early off of Bees' starting pitcher Sarah Prozel, scoring the first un of the game in the bottom of the second inning.

With two outs on the board, senior Michelle Woolley of Peoria, Ill., walked to get on base and would steal second base during the at-bat of senior Nichole Salazar of Minooka, Ill. Salazar would knock a double to right-center field to bring home Woolley and put the Saints up 1-0.

Pitching dominated the next four innings, as only two hits were produced after the second inning until Ashford came up to bat in the top of the seventh inning.

Woolley, Salazar and senior Kimberly Samples of Bolingbrook, Ill., walked with two outs in the inning to load the bases. A fourth straight walk drawn by senior Whitney Bauer of DeWitt brought home Woolley to increase the Saints lead to 2-0.

Ashford would leave the inning with the bases loaded, but the damage was done as Woodard forced a groundout to end the game and seal the victory for the Saints.

In game two, William Penn went up a run in the bottom of the first after the leadoff batter Khyia Lewis doubled down the left field line and later scored by means of an error, putting the Lady Statesmen up 1-0.

The Lady Statesmen added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Leah Mork scored off of another Saints error.

The Saint's bats were quieted throughout the entire second game, falling victim to Hannah Lugar, who brought a no-hitter performance into the sixth inning and earned her 20th victory of the season. Salazar and sophomore Jessica Martin of Arlington Heights, Ill., were the only two Saints to record hits, with Salazar singling in the sixth while Martin tripled to right-center in the bottom of the seventh.

A pivotal game-three matched Ashford with St. Ambrose for the second time of the day, with the stipulations being that the loser of the game would go home for the season.

Sophomore Nichole Schroeder of Wheeling, Ill., singled to right field in the second inning, but it would be the only hit of the game for the Saints.

The Bees picked up two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning after Stacey Crosby and Morgan Dossett reached base. The next batter, starting pitcher Melissa Krueger, helped her own cause as she tripled to right center to bring home two runs and put the Bees up 2-0.

On the mound, Krueger pitched a gem for the Bees, allowing only one hit without issuing a walk to preserve win and end the Saints season.

The Saints closed the books on the 2010 season with a 15-32 record.