DALLAS, TEXAS - Missouri Baptist University began their 2025 softball season at the Southern Collegiate Sports NAIA Invitational with a 4-2 victory over Nelson University as Taylor Whitehead threw a complete game with 12 strikeouts.

The Spartans threatened getting on the scoreboard in the top half of the first inning, but a double play stranded a pair of runners on the basepaths. Whitehead began her stellar afternoon by striking out the leadoff batter and retiring the side in order in the first inning.

Natalie Archer got the ball rolling in the second inning with a double to left field followed by a single from Camryn Kessler. With two outs and two on base, Alexi Sanchez roped a double to left field that scored Archer and Kessler, giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead over the Lions early in the contest.

Whitehead picked up a pair of strikeouts in the bottom half and went three up three down getting Missouri Baptist back in the dugout.

Nelson got their first runner on base in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double and a single brought her around to score, following a walk. With two outs the Spartans made an error that allowed the walk to score, tying the game at two apiece before Whitehead struck out her third batter of the inning.

In the bottom of the fifth, Whitehead faced the minimum batters and struck out two more, running her tally to nine on the day.

Jenna Achs led off the top of the sixth with a walk and stole second. Kessler plated Achs with a double before Nelson got out of the inning. Miranda Ladson hit a leadoff double in the seventh inning and scored on an error, placing MBU in front 4-2.

Whitehead continued her fantastic day retiring the side in order in the sixth and striking out the side in order to seal the deal in the bottom of the seventh. She went seven innings allowing two runs on two hits and sat down 12 Lions on strikeouts in the season opener. 

Sanchez knocked in a pair of runs on one hit, Allison Leigraf and Kessler drove in the other two runs. Kessler went 2-2 with a run scored and drew a walk in her Spartan debut.

The Spartans pieced together five extra base hits, drew four walks, and were hit by pitches three times throughout the course of the game. They also played clean defense only allowing one walk and making one error.

The opening day win brings the Spartans to 1-0 and they will be back in action tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m. when they take on (RV) Mid-America Christian University.