(Springfield, Mo.) – Junior Nicole Norberg and senior Kasey Martin each had a game winning hit on the final day of the MIAA Crossover in Springfield, Mo. on Sunday afternoon. The Jennies went eight innings in both games, capturing the 4-3 victory over Truman State and the 5-4 win against Northwest Missouri.
      Central Missouri (15-9) has now played four extra inning games, holding a 3-1 record in those contests.
      The Jennies tallied 18 hits in the two games, as their opponents only had 14. UCM also forced its opponents to commit four errors on the day.
      Norberg went 4-of-7 on the day, scoring once and driving in two. Martin's lone hit of the day was a big one, singling to drive in the winning run in the second contest.
      UCM will be back in action on March 25-26 when the Jennies travel to Wichita Falls, Texas to participate in the Midwestern State Invitational. The Jennies are scheduled to play No. 5 Midwestern State and St. Mary's on the opening day, and St. Edward's and St. Mary's on the final day.
 
Game 1: Jennies 4, Truman State 3 (8 innings)
      Heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, Central Missouri had a 3-0 deficit that it needed to overcome. The Jennies tied it up and then added one more in the eighth for the win.
      Norberg came to the plate in the bottom of the eighth, with the bases loaded and one out and hit a deep fly ball to left field that scored the game winning run.
      In the bottom of the seventh frame, UCM put its first three batters on and scored a run before recording an out. Freshman Brittany Rozier then cleared the bases with a single through the left side of the field to force extras.
      The Bulldogs got on the board in the sixth inning by a passed ball. They added two in the seventh by collected four consecutive hits.
      Sophomore Ashlea Bengtson tallied two hits in the game, driving in one and scoring once.
      Sophomore Megan Schallom pitched the final 1.1 innings of the game, recording her second win of the season. She did not allow a hit or run, walked one and struck out two. Junior Lacey Dixon went the first 6.2 innings, giving up the three runs on seven hits. She also walked five batters and struck out three.
 
Game 2: Jennies 5, Northwest Missouri 4 (8 innings)
      The Jennies saw themselves fighting back again, trailing 3-2 going into the bottom of the seventh inning. UCM scored once in the seventh, only to give one up in the top of the eighth. Northwest Missouri allowed two runs to cross the plate in the bottom of the eighth for UCM to capture its second extra-inning game of the day.
      With runners on first and second and two outs, Martin stepped to the plate and sent a shallow fly ball to right field that allowed a run to score for the victory. Freshman Braylyn Bivens tied the game at four with a single to left that kept UCM alive in the extra frame.
      In the seventh inning, Norberg hit a single down the left field line that brought in the tying run to force extras.
      The Jennies sent one across in the fifth after loading the bases with only one out. Bengtson grounded out to the second baseman that allowed the runners all to move up. UCM got on the board in the third on a fielding error by the Bearcats and single.
      Northwest Missouri started the game by sending seven batters to the plate in the first inning, and scoring two of them. Then in the third after a double, NWMSU scored on a fielder choice. The Bearcats put the pressure on UCM in the top of the eighth by scoring on a single to force the Jennies to score two in the bottom half for the win.
      Norberg tallied three of the Jennies 12 hits in the game, including the one that forced extra innings. Senior Kelli Kurka, junior Katie Groves, and Bivens all had two apiece.
      Sophomore Sarah Espy went 2.2 innings, recording her sixth win of the season. She gave up one run on one hit, striking out three. Senior Jamin Landreth started the game, going 5.1 innings. She allowed three runs on six hits, walking four and striking out one.