ST. LOUIS – No. 10 Missouri Baptist University softball defeated Graceland University (Iowa) in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 7, in Liberty, Mo.
 
Game One Recap
Brooklynn Fischer started the game with her first homer of the season, sending Makayla Johnson home for a 2-0 MBU lead.
 
Allison Leigraf followed suit later in the inning with a homer of her own to put the Spartans up 3-0. Madison Leckrone put herself on the board in the second inning, scoring off a single by Johnson. Fischer tallied another RBI after a double to bring Johnson home.
 
Both teams remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when Leigraf drove in an RBI with a double to left field. Graceland responded with a series of RBI to tie up the game heading into the final two innings.
 
Miranda Ladson and Sanchez each doubled with runners on base to regain the lead after the sixth. After a short relief from Madison Sherry, Brake (14-3) returned to the mound and held the Yellow Jackets scoreless with three consecutive outs, including one strikeout.
 
Brake and Fischer sealed the game with two more RBI each, leading the Spartans to an 11-6 win. Fischer led both teams in hitting, going 4-for-5 with five RBI. Sanchez and Leigraf followed with a pair of RBI each in four at-bats.
 
In six innings pitched, Brake limited Graceland to three hits and one run, striking out four.
 
Winning Pitcher: Kaylie Brake (14-3)
Losing Pitcher: Allison Henry (0-1)
 
Batting Leaders
Brooklynn Fischer: 4-for-5, HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI
Allison Leigraf: 2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI
Alexi Sanchez: 2-for-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBI
 
Game Two Recap
The Spartans kept their foot on the gas heading into the second game. Fischer took control on the mound, racking six strikeouts in the first three innings.
 
The MBU offense built an early lead with RBI from Sanchez, Camryn Kessler, Fischer, and Grace McGinnis in the sixth. Fischer recorded her second homer of the day, going 1-for-3 with one run and one hit.
 
Graceland got on the board in the third inning with an RBI double by pitcher McKenna Kelley. Gracyn Beckman added another off a single in the fifth to put the score at 4-2.
 
After McGinnis' score in the top of the sixth, Brake relieved Fischer to preserve the three-point spread and end the game with a 5-2 win.
 
In six innings, Fischer recorded a season-high of nine strikeouts, allowing only two runs off 11 hits. She now holds a 9-3 record and a 2.72 ERA.
 
Winning Pitcher: Brooklyn Fischer (9-3)
Losing Pitcher: McKenna Kelley (4-11)
 
Batting Leaders
Allison Leigraf: 2-for-3, 2 R, SB
Brooklyn Fischer: 1-for-3, HR, RBI
 
Records:
No. 10 Missouri Baptist: 23-7, 10-2 Heart
Graceland University: 7-29, 2-11 Heart
 
What's Next?
MBU will host a weekend doubleheader against Park University and No. 25 Benedictine College on Friday, April 10, and Saturday, April 11. Game times are set for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday and noon and 2 p.m. on Saturday.
 
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