(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – The Central Missouri Jennies softball team swept Missouri St. Louis on Sunday afternoon at home by 7-0 and 6-1 scores. The Jennies out hit UMSL 20-9 on the day.
      Senior Kelli Kurka and junior Katie Groves both collected four hits apiece. Kurka had two doubles, a home run, five RBI and a walk with two runs scored. Groves had a double, home run RBI and a stolen base.
      In the circle, the Jennies posted a 0.50 ERA. Junior Lacey Dixon and sophomore Megan Schallom both collected wins. Opponents were only hitting .180 against the staff as they struck out 14 batters.
      The Jennies (7-7) will hit the road to open conference play in Bolivar, Mo. against Southwest Baptist. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. on March 12 from the SBU Softball Field.
 
Game 1: UCM 7, Tritons 0
      Central Missouri scored two in the first innings and kept added the runs. The Jennies out hit UMSL 10-4 in the game and also left nine runners on base to the Tritons seven.
      With the bases loaded in the first inning, Kurka came to the plate and ripped a double to center field that scored two runners and gave the Jennies the 2-0 lead.
      In the fifth frame, junior Brittany Martin singled up the middle the plated a run and then sophomore Ashlea Bengtson singled the scored her.
      The Jennies sealed the victory in the sixth inning when three runs crossed the plate. After back-to-back singles and one out, Kurka belted her second home run of the season to straight away center field.
      The Tritons had only one runner past second base, in the first inning, but they could never get that hit to push her in.
      Dixon got the win in the game, throwing the whole game. She gave up two walks and struck out a season-high eight batters.
 
Game 2: UCM 6, Tritons 1
      Central Missouri started the game of right again, putting up one in the first and two in the second. Missouri St. Louis was not able to came back from it deficit, scoring one in the seventh off a deep fly ball to left field. The Jennies out hit the Tritons 10-5 in the game as UCM only left seven runners on base to USML's 11.
      In the first inning with a runner on second and two outs Kurka hit her second double of the day that plated the run.
      Then in the second frame, with the bases loaded freshman Braylyn Bivens singled to left field that scored on. Senior Kasey Martin later singled that scored another run for UCM to make it 3-0.
      Groves led off the fifth inning with a deep fly ball to center field for her second home run of the season. Later in the frame, with runners on the corners, Bengtson doubled to left center that brought both in and to seal the victory for UCM.
      Schallom started the game in the circle, giving up no runs on three hits in four innings of work. She walked five batters and struck out two. Sophomore Sarah Espy came in on relief for the final three innings, giving up the one run off two hits. She also walked two and struck out four.