CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – No. 8 Missouri Baptist University softball split a doubleheader to end its trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Friday, April 17.
The Spartans fell short of a comeback victory in the opener before
Allison Leigraf drove in five runs to back
Kaylie Brake's complete-game victory in the final contest.
Game One Recap
The Mount Mercy offense got out to a quick start with a three-run home run in the first from Abbey Smith.
Alohilani Bursey answered in the second with an RBI double to left-center to score
Jacie Dees.
The Mustangs continued to put runs on the scoreboard, however. In the second, Calli Janik pushed a run home with a walk, followed by Ashley Smith's two-RBI single to open a 6-1 lead.
In the third, the Spartans closed the gap with four runs before MMU answered with three more in the bottom half.
Madison Sherry helped the cause on an RBI single with a couple of runners on ahead of
Camryn Kessler's game-tying three-run home run to left-center to knot the game at nine.
The Mustangs answered again in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI double from Janik and an RBI single from Smith. MMU starting pitcher Ashley Webb took it from there, completing the 11-9 win over the next two innings after surrendering nine runs, eight earned, on 11 hits with four strikeouts.
Fischer got the start in the circle for the Spartans and came in for a relief outing, totaling three innings of work, seven runs – six earned – with one strikeout.
Madison Sherry took the loss after three innings, five earned runs, and one strikeout.
Winning Pitcher: Ashley Webb (7-12)
Losing Pitcher: Madison Sherry (0-1)
Batting Leaders
Camryn Kessler: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R
Alohilani Bursey: 2-for-3, 2B, RBI
Game Two Recap
Alexi Sanchez got the Spartans on the board in the first inning with a bases-loaded walk, followed by a sacrifice fly from
Allison Leigraf, another bases-loaded walk from Kessler, and a wild pitch to make it 4-0.
After a brief rain delay, one of two in the contest,
Makayla Johnson slugged a solo home run, her seventh of the year, to open a 5-0 lead. Leigraf followed up with an RBI single to make it a six-run lead.
Raegan Ware doubled in a couple of runners in the fourth to pull the Mustangs within four, before Johnson and Leigraf did even more damage. In the fifth, Johnson drove in two with a double, followed by Leigraf's three-run bomb to centerfield in the sixth.
MBU starting pitcher
Kaylie Brake completed the six-inning run-rule win in the next frame, ending the day with two earned runs, one strikeout, and four hits allowed over 109 pitches and six innings. The win improved her to 20-3 this season.
Winning Pitcher: Kaylie Brake (20-3)
Losing Pitcher: Maggie McNally (6-7)
Batting Leaders
Allison Leigraf: 2-for-3, HR, 5 RBI
Makayla Johnson: 2-for-3, HR, 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB
Records:
No. 8 Missouri Baptist: 33-8, 19-3 Heart
Mount Mercy: 16-22, 11-9 Heart
What's Next?
MBU wraps up the home schedule on Tuesday, April 21, with a 2 p.m. doubleheader start against Culver-Stockton College.
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