ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Baptist softball team did not have to travel too far to take on their in town NCAA Division III rival the Washington University Bears. MBU won the first game 4-2 and dropped the second game to the Bears 7-6. 

The Spartans jumped out early scoring one in the first and one in the second to set the tone early in the game. Katie Payne went 2-3 in the game with one RBI and one walk. Megan Wildhaber went 2-4 with one run scored.

MBU starting pitcher in game Jena Trombley threw a complete game giving up two runs on four hits while striking out three.   

In game two, MBU scored one in the top of the first and looked much like the first game until the bottom of the third inning when the Bears offense receive a big blast. Kelsey Neal hammered a grand slam to take a 4-1 lead over the Spartans.

Missouri Baptist would answer back in the top of the fourth. Danielle Bayer singled in a run and then later scored on a hit by Sierra Thompson which cut the Bears lead to 4-3.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Bears strung together a few hits and added on three more runs and put MBU away for good. The Spartans would add two more runs in the seventh inning on a single by Corey Pitchford, but was not enough to overtake the Bears in the game.

The Spartans now move to 12-8 on the season and stay 6-4 in the American Midwest Conference. MBU will next play at home on Friday against AMC rival the Park Pirates. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.