MESQUITE, Texas – No. 16 Missouri Baptist University softball opened the 2026 campaign with a dominant 8-0 shutout over Mid-America Christian University. Returning NAIA Third Team All-American Brooklynn Fischer started the season out right with a complete game shutout on 88 pitches with seven strikeouts.
 
Mid-American Christian Recap
The Spartans scored seven runs combined in the third and fourth innings, wrapping up the run-rule victory with another run in the top of the sixth. Miranda Ladson and Fischer collected three hits and two RBI each, with Fischer logging a pair of doubles. Jefferson College transfer Alohilani Bursey showed out for her new club with a pair of doubles, an RBI, and two runs, while Camryn Kessler roped a two-RBI triple to fuel the offense.
 
Makayla Johnson opened the game and the season with a leadoff walk and a steal during Ladson's at-bat. Emily Dickinson worked around the runner in scoring position for MACU with a lineout and a groundout.
 
In the bottom of the first, Fischer surrendered a leadoff single but responded with five consecutive strikeouts through the first two scoreless frames. Her offense picked her up in the third on a Ladson single that scored Bursey and a two-RBI triple from Kessler.
 
In the fourth, Jacie Dees hit a one-out single to left field and scored on Bursey's RBI double. Johnson singled Bursey home two batters later on an infield single and scored on Ladson's RBI double to center. Fischer pushed across a seventh run on a single to right field to score Ladson.
 
MACU put two runners on in the bottom of the fourth with one out, attempting a comeback bid, but Fischer worked out of the jam with a foul out and a pop out. The New Florence, Mo., native then faced the minimum over the next two innings to wrap up the 8-0 shutout victory.

Winning Pitcher: Brooklynn Fischer (1-0)
Losing Pitcher: E. Dickinson (0-1)
 
Batting Leaders
Miranda Ladson: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 R
Brooklynn Fischer: 3-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI
Alohilani Bursey: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 R
Camryn Kessler: 1-for-3, 3B, 2 RBI
 
Records:
Missouri Baptist: 1-0
Mid-America Christian: 0-1
 
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