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Box Score 2 ST. LOUIS – [Game One Box] [Game Two Box] After taking a 12-game winning streak into today's doubleheader, the Missouri Baptist softball team dropped both contests to Columbia, 7-0 and 7-3. The loss drops the Spartans to 18-10 and 9-5 in American Midwest Conference play.
The Spartans saw first-hand the ability of Cougar leadoff hitter, Carly Spalding. The Cougar centerfielder came into the day with a .512 batting average, six triples, seven home runs, and 45 stolen bases in 45 attempts. In the first at-bat of the day, Spalding ripped a shot to left, stole second, and scored on a single. The Cougars led 1-0 after a half-inning.
Columbia plated four more runs in the top of the 3rd, highlighted by a three-run home run off the bat of Allyson Metz.
In the bottom of the 3rd, the Spartans looked to get on the scoreboard. Kelsey Snider led off with a hit by pitch. Donyelle DeMarse singled up the middle and Mariah Randazzo singled down the right field line to load the bases with no outs. The Cougars recorded the next two outs with force outs at the plate and the final out on a groundout to hold MBU scoreless.
The Cougars added two more runs on three hits in the top of the 7th to take a 7-0 lead.
MBU could not get anything going in the final inning and dropped the game, 7-0.
The bottom of the Spartan lineup did the majority of the damage, offensively. Kelsey Snider tallied a hit and reached on a hit by pitch. Eight-hitter Donyelle DeMarse and nine-hitter Mariah Randazzo each went 2-for-3. Payton Anderson recorded the other hit for MBU.
In game two, the Cougars struck first with three runs in the top of the third inning. A two-run home run and an RBI sac fly scored the runs for Columbia.
Missouri Baptist answered with three, 2-out runs. Payton Anderson reached on a walk and moved to second on Andrea Chessor's single up the middle. On the next pitch, Mikala Torrence blasted a three-run bomb to dead center field to tie the game at 3-3.
The Spartans nearly took a 4-3 lead in the 4th. After Snider singled and moved to third on the ensuing error. Corey Pitchford seemed to hit an RBI sac fly to left. Instead, the Columbia shortstop snagged the fly ball with her back to the plate, and fired an off-balance throw to home. The catcher tagged the sliding Snider on a bang-bang play for the inning-ending double play.
Columbia leadoff hitter Carly Spalding led off the top of the 5th with a triple to right-center that bounced off the wall. The next hit brought centerfielder Dee Dee Peters on a dead sprint towards the infield. She caught the ball on the edge of the grass, but the speedy Spalding, tagged and scored on the play. That gave Columbia a 4-3 lead.
Missouri Baptist had a strong chance at not only tying the game, but taking the lead in the bottom of the 6th. Kara Pochon led off the inning with a four-pitch walk. That brought game one starter, Paxton Welch, in to relieve starter Lauren McCroskie. Dee Dee Peters moved Pochon to second with a sac bunt and Donyelle DeMarse drew a walk. Mariah Randazzo loaded the bases after a fielding error by the Cougar shortstop. Kelsey Snider followed with a pop out to third and Pitchford ended the inning with a hard groundout to second.
Columbia put the game out of reach with three more runs on five hits in the top of the 7th.
The Spartans went down in order in the bottom of the 7th to end the game, 7-3.
Mikala Torrence led the Spartans with a 1-for-4 performance. She cracked the three-run home run.
Kelsey Snider, Payton Anderson, Andrea Chessor, and Kara Pochon each singled in the contest.
Chessor took the loss in the game. She gave up seven earned runs on 13 hits.
A scary scene ensued following the contest. A Columbia fan took a hard fall in the parking lot, and the two teams came together for a prayer as the paramedics arrived. We are happy to announce that the fan was in good spirits as he was taken away in the ambulance.
Missouri Baptist will need to have a short memory, as they play Hannibal-LaGrange and Benedictine-Springfield, this weekend.
