ST. LOUIS – No. 10 Missouri Baptist University softball went 3-1 over the weekend, sweeping MidAmerica Nazarene University in a Friday doubleheader and splitting with No. 17 Central Methodist University on Saturday.
MidAmerica Nazarene Doubleheader Recap
Brooklynn Fischer took the ball in game one against MidAmerica Nazarene after the game was moved from Spartan Field down Conway Road to Maryville University and shut out the Pioneers through six innings.
Mandy Brown, MNU's starting pitcher, hurled five scoreless innings to match Fischer until the bottom of the sixth. Makayla Johnson led off the inning with her third home run of the season to give MBU a 1-0 lead. Fischer helped herself with a single and scored on Miranda Ladson's home run to make it 3-0.
Fischer surrendered a run in the top of the seventh but closed out the contest with a pop-up to first base to secure the 3-1 win and to improve her record to 7-3. In total, she went seven innings, with one earned and five strikeouts.
Kaylie Brake was the game two starter and twirled a six-hit shutout with five strikeouts and one walk. The sophomore from McCleansboro, Ill., improved to 13-2 overall and tallied her second shutout of the year.
Allison Leigraf backed the effort with a trio of RBI, including a first-inning RBI single and a two-run home run in the fifth. Johnson clubbed her fifth home run and second of the afternoon in the fifth inning as well.
No. 17 Central Methodist Recap
On Saturday, Fischer took the ball in game one once again and tossed a run-rule complete game victory with six hits and one earned run over five innings against No. 17 Central Methodist.
CMU took a lead in the second inning on Emma King's solo home run to right-center. Johnson tied the game in the third with a single and scored on Fischer's RBI double. Fischer then came around to score on Leigraf's RBI single to make it 3-1.
In the fourth, MBU tallied six runs, including a steal of home from Jacie Dees, a two-run home run for Johnson, and a three-run inside-the-park home run from Leigraf.
Fischer wrapped up the five-inning win with a groundout to improve her record to 8-3.
The second game was fueled by a strong outing in the circle from CMU starter Haley Cotter. She went 6.1 innings with eight hits and three earned runs to improve her record to 5-4.
Kinlei Boley had the Eagles ahead early with a two-run shot in the second. Elizabeth Palumbo added another in the third.
MBU tied the game in the third inning at three, but CMU loaded the bases and pushed across a pair of runs to regain control.
Alexi Sanchez doubled in a run in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4, but Maddy Holly and Rachel Brandt tacked on insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
The Spartans did not go quietly in the bottom half of the seventh, getting a solo home run from Ladson and an RBI double from Leigraf. Later in the inning, the Spartans advanced the tying run to third base.
Boley, who took over pitching duties with one out in the seventh, slammed the door with a strikeout to complete the game with a 7-6 final and to earn her second save of the year.
What's Next?
MBU travels to Peru State College in Peru, Neb., for a doubleheader with the Bobcats on Friday, April 3. They follow up on Saturday, April 4, at Graceland University.
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