SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - Missouri Baptist claimed their biggest win in program history with a 9-8 upset at No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake, clinched by a game saving throw from Alexi Sanchez to Emily Wright at home plate to nail the tying run for the last out. The Spartans saved up some runs in the first game of the doubleheader, taking care of business 3-1 in a duel against Texas A&M San Antonio.

 

Game Changing Moments

 

With the tying run on second base against No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake, the Saints roped a ground ball through the middle towards Sanchez in center field. The Junior unleashed a rope to home plate, and Wright caught the ball on a bounce and made a diving tag to earn the final out in the high scoring upset.

 

The Spartans displayed their offensive prowess at the plate in game two of the doubleheader, putting up nine in the run column on 12 hits. Timely hitting played a huge factor in the contest. Makayla Johnson and Allison Leigraf took matters into their hands in a tied game in the fourth, rattling off a pair of solo homeruns that gave Missouri Baptist a 6-4 lead over the No. 1 team in the nation.

 

Game one was a low scoring pitchers' duel, and the Spartans came out on top, 3-1. Alexandria Cafolla was able to work out of trouble a couple times, and Brooklynn Fischer came in in a 1-0 game in the bottom of the fifth with a runner on second with one away in the inning. The runner was on third with two outs in the inning and an 0-2 count to the batter at the plate, Wright became a wall for the Spartans on a pitch in the dirt on her backhand side, keeping the runner at third. On the next pitch, Fischer dialed up the heat and blew a fastball on the outside corner past the Jaguar at the plate, holding a 1-0 lead.

 

Miranda Ladson came up clutch for Missouri Baptist in the seventh against Texas A&M San Antonio when she blasted a two run shot over the left field fence to give the Spartans two insurance runs.

 

Texas A&M San Antonio Recap

 

The Spartans finally broke onto the scoreboard in the third inning when Johnson roped a two out RBI single into center field, scoring Ladson.

 

Al. Cafolla went to work for four and a third innings, stranding runners on the basepaths, letting her defense work, and keeping the Jaguars off balance. Fischer followed up Al. Cafolla by working out of a couple jams. The two combined to allow no earned runs on six hits.

 

Ladson's two run homerun rounded out her wonderful stat line, going 2-3 with two runs and two RBIs.

 

Winning Pitcher: Alexandria Cafolla (3-1)

Losing Pitcher: R. Limon (2-3)

Save: Brooklynn Fischer (1)

 

No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake Recap

 

On the road, the Spartans struck first as Leigraf walked, Sanchez singled, Fischer singled to score Leigraf, Jacie Dees walked, and Jenna Achs singled and brought home Sanchez, placing Missouri Baptist up 2-0 early.

 

The No. 1 Saints proved that two runs was not enough as their leadoff batter homered and they scratched another pair of runs across home to take a 3-2 lead heading into the second. OLLU tacked on another run in the bottom of the second inning.

 

A little two out magic went in the Spartans' favor as Dees, Achs, and Ladson all reached base before Camryn Kessler came through with a clutch two RBI single, tying the game at four apiece.

 

Fischer allowed a leadoff double in the third, but she and the Spartans' defense shut down a Saints' push by stranding a pair of runners on the basepaths.

 

Johnson and Leigraf boosted the Spartans into the lead with back-to-back solo homers. OLLU got one of the runs back in their half with a solo shot of their own.

 

Another homerun for the Saints in the bottom of the fifth tied the game again, but just for a short period of time as the Spartans scratched and clawed to get three runs on three hits and an error.

 

Up 9-6 in the bottom of the sixth, OLLU was threatening with the bases loaded, but Al. Cafolla and the defense were able to work their way out of the jam, holding their three run lead.

 

Cafolla got a quick out in the bottom of the seventh, before a double to left field. She induced another fly out for the second out of the inning, but the No. 1 Saints were not done yet. OLLU doubled and singled and advanced on a throw to cut the Spartan lead to just one. A pinch runner came on, and the Saints roped a ground ball into center field where Sanchez fielded it cleanly and came up throwing. Sanchez dropped a dime to Wright, behind the dish, who made a great tag securing the upset victory for MBU against No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake.

 

Winning Pitcher: Alexandria Cafolla (4-1)

Losing Pitcher: A. Hernandez (2-2)

 

Batting Leaders

Allison Leigraf: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 R

Makayla Johnson: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, R

Jenna Achs: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2 R

Camryn Kessler: 2-for-3, 3 RBI, BB

 

Records

Missouri Baptist: 7-1

Texas A&M San Antonio: 3-7

No. 1 Our Lady of the Lake: 6-3

 

Next Game

The Spartans will repeat this doubleheader tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 14 with first pitch coming at 8:30 a.m.

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