ALEXANDRIA, La. – No. 16 Missouri Baptist University softball split a doubleheader to begin a four-game series with No. 13 Louisiana State University Alexandria on Friday afternoon. MBU moves to 3-3 this season and picks up its first ranked win of 2026.

Game One Recap
Starting pitcher Kaylie Brake surrendered a run in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly as the Spartans were held quiet offensively through the first two innings.
 
In the top of the third, Kelsie Holtmeyer walked, and the pinch runner, Grace McGinnis, came around to score on an error after Makayla Johnson singled. In the fourth, Brooklynn Fischer doubled to lead off the frame and scored two batters later on Alohilani Bursey's RBI double to left-center.
 
In the fourth, the Generals regained the lead on an RBI bunt single from Caitlyn Riche and a double steal that scored a run. They tacked on one in the fifth and the sixth before their starter, Lainee Bailey, wrapped up the complete game victory in the seventh.
 
Bailey struck out seven Spartans and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits and two walks. Brake went the distance as well, collecting a pair of strikeouts while allowing five runs, four earned, with three walks and seven hits.
 
Winning Pitcher: L. Bailey (4-0)
Losing Pitcher: Kaylie Brake (1-2)
 
Batting Leaders
Alohilani Bursey: 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
Makayla Johnson: 2-for-4, 2B
Brooklynn Fischer: 1-for-3, 2B, R
 
Game Two Recap
Camryn Kessler had MBU in front early in game two with an RBI double that scored Allison Leigraf. Julia Kwakernaak answered with her own RBI double in the bottom of the second.
 
In the top of the third, a wild pitch put the Spartans in the lead ahead of Leigraf's two-RBI double to extend the lead to 4-1. Kaetlyn Dunbar answered again for the Generals in the bottom half with a two-RBI single to pull within one.
 
Johnson doubled home a run in the fourth, followed a few batters later by Alexi Sanchez, who drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to open a 6-3 lead. LSUA, however, posted four runs on two hits, including a home run, and two walks to leapfrog MBU 7-6.
 
Both clubs were held scoreless in the fifth before Fischer singled in the tying run with two runners on base. Sanchez doubled home another run, followed by a sac fly from Miranda Ladson and an RBI single from Bursey.
 
Again, LSUA answered on a Dunbar RBI single and a two-RBI double from Molly Sistrunk to tie the game at 10.
 
Johnson roped her third double of the game in the top of the seventh to set the stage for Jacie Dees' go-ahead, two-RBI double. Dees later came in to score on Fischer's groundout.
 
After pitching five innings and surrendering seven runs earlier in the game, Head Coach Ted Leigraf called Fischer's number in a save situation in the bottom of the seventh. She continued to battle and worked around a trio of walks in the frame to end the game 13-10 with her first save of the 2026 campaign.
 
Zoe Flath and Kaylie Brake both saw action in the circle in the game as well. Flath pitched a scoreless fifth inning, and Brake picked up the win after an inning of work.
 
Winning Pitcher: Kaylie Brake (2-2)
Losing Pitcher: S. Hayes (0-1)
Save: Brooklynn Fischer (1)
 
Batting Leaders
Makayla Johnson: 4-for-5, 3 2B, 4 R, RBI
Jacie Dees: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 R
Alexi Sanchez: 1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI, R
Allison Leigraf: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, R
 
Record:
No. 16 Missouri Baptist: 3-3
No. 13 LSU Alexandria: 6-3
 
What's Next?
The Spartans and the Generals rematch on Saturday, Feb. 14, at noon and 2 p.m. Both games will be streamed on the LSU Alexandria YouTube channel.
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