CHESTERFIELD, Mo.- The Spartans had to shake things up due to the rain on Wednesday (April 18). The team traveled up the road to the Chesterfield Valley Athletic Complex where they played UHSP in their second to last regular season conference game. The Eutectics proved to be no match for the Spartans as MBU quickly shut them down in game one, 12-0 and then finished things up by taking them down 7-2 to secure the sweep.
 
GAME ONE
UHSP may have had their lead off batter make it safely to first but Brooklynn Fischer shut down any other opportunities that they might have had. The sophomore caught a short pop up to secure the first out and then went on to strike out the next two batters to send the game into the bottom of the first inning.

The Spartans started to rack up the runs early, putting four on the board in the first inning. The Spartans lead off batter, Meghan Hager led off the scoring when she was able to safely make it home when Abagail Cafolla hit a ground ball that went under the second baseman's glove and into the outfield. Ab. Cafolla followed Hager home shortly after when Allison Leigraf sent one out to center field, making it to second on the defenses throw home. Leigraf scored her self on the very next pitch when Jenna Achs hit a ground ball that made its way to centerfield as well. In a similar fashion to Leigraf, Achs was able to make her way into scoring position on the throw. Achs would wrap up the Spartans scoring run when she would round the bases, making it home on a line drive out to left field by Natalie Archer.

The top of the second went almost the same as the first for UHSP. The first out came when Hager easily caught a fly ball out in center. Fischer then struck out the next to batters to bring MBU up to bat once again.
After Hager was on once again for the Spartans, beating out the throw from the pitcher on a bunt. The sophomore moved around to second with a stolen base, and was waiting on a hit from a fellow Spartan to bring her in. Hager didn't have to wait long, after moving to third on a fly ball out to center by Ladson, the two stole their respective bases at the same time, causing confusion in the defense. Ladson made it safely to second while Hager added the fifth run of the game. Ladson only had to wait a couple more pitcher as Fischer then hit a line drive out to center field, bringing the score 6-0.

The Spartans had a big third inning, putting up another six runs. Fischer sent the Spartans up to bat after striking out all three batters. Jenna Achs got the Spartans going with a base hit up the middle and then making her way around to second on a stolen base during the next at bat. After Archer made it on with a single out to left, the Spartans would load the bases when Kolby Brake was hit by a pitch. Jackie Stewart, who replaced Amber Cage in the lineup, hit a line drive out to center, for 2 RBI. Archer and Achs were able to safely make it home, while Stewart and Brake made it to first and second. Both were soon in scoring position when Stewart and Brake were able to move up a base on an error by the left fielder. The bases were loaded once again when Miranda Ladson watched four balls go by for a walk. Fischer, a heavy hitter and someone you want up to bat when the bases are loaded, proceeded to hit a long fly ball out to the left field fence for a 3 RBI triple. Next, Ab. Cafolla would bring in Fischer for the final run of the game with a ground ball up the middle, out to center field.

The Spartans would make quick work of the Eutectics to close out the game in five innings. Fischer would add another shutout victory to her name with the Spartans 12-0 win over UHSP. The sophomore struck out 10 batters and was two hits shy of a no-no.
 
GAME TWO
After another quick three-up, three-down in the top of the first and four runs coming from MBU in the bottom of the inning, it looked like the second game was going to mirror the first. Hager was on with a base hit back to the pitcher but an error by the first baseman allowed her to not only make it to second but third as well. On the next at bat, Hager scored the first run of the game when Ladson hit a line drive out to right. Ladson was then moved around to third when Fischer hit a double out to center field. Ab. Cafolla followed up with a fly ball out to bring in Ladson and move Fischer to third. Ab. Cafolla then stole second while Leigraf was in the batter's box. A couple pitches later, Leigraf hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Fischer to make it home after tagging up and Ab. Cafolla only 60 feet from a run of her own. Achs then hit a line drive out to centerfield to bring home Ab. Cafolla for their final run of the inning.  

Things slowed down for MBU after that. The next three innings would go by scoreless with not a lot of hits coming the Spartans way. It would be UHSP who would break the scoring drought, bringing home a run in the top of the fifth to bring the score 4-1, MBU. The Spartans would answer right back by putting up another three runs in the bottom of the inning.

AB. Cafolla would start off the bottom of the inning with a big hit out right field for a triple. Leigraf would follow up with a ground ball out to the left fielder to bring in Ab. Cafolla for their fifth run of the game. The next run would come when Brake would knock down a sac bunt, allowing Leigraf who was waiting at third to easily make it home. On the next at bat, Achs who made it on earlier with a base hit out to left would score the Spartans last run of the game. Abby Wilson was at the plate and hit one right back to the pitcher, who couldn't handle the ground ball, securing the RBI.

Looking to shake things up in the top of the sixth, Alexandria Cafolla came in to pitch for the Spartans. After UHSP was able to put another run on the board, Al. Cafolla had a quick three-up, three-down to put a stop to the Eutectics momentum. The rest of the game would go by fast with neither team adding a run. The Spartans would earn the sweep, winning their second game 7-2.

With five innings under her belt, Whitehead would earn the win. The junior struck out a total of eight batters during her time in the circle.
 
The Spartans will now be heading into their final conference game of the season today (April 20) against Harris-Stowe State University starting at noon.