Jennies softball splits with Pittsburg State to clinch No. 5 seed in MIAA Tourney
Jennies softball splits with Pittsburg State to clinch No. 5 seed in MIAA Tourney
Box Score 1 | Box Score 2     |    Season Statistics (HTML)    |    Photo Gallery 

WARRENSBURG, Mo. -- The Jennies softball team clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament next week following a doubleheader split against visiting PIttsburg State on Senior Day at the South Recreation Complex.

With the 9-1 victory in five innings in game two, the Jennies finished the regular season with a 27-21 record, 14-12 in MIAA play. Sophomore Amanda Nally drove in six runs in game two, a team-best this season. 

In game one, Pittsburg State scored six runs on just three hits, taking advantage of two UCM errors. Cheslyn Mitchell's three-run double put the Jennies in a 4-0 hole, proving to be enough run support for hurler Haleigh Sills. 

The Jennies answered with two runs in the home half of the second on an RBI single by Alex Groeger and an RBI groundout by Braylyn Bivens. The third run came across courtesy of an RBI single by Kristen Heil in the third inning. 

The Gorillas scored once in the fourth and once in the sixth to take game one, 8-3

Bivens and Lauren Mabe both tallied two hits in the opener.

In game two, after Pittsburg State took an early 1-0 advantage in the first inning, the Jennies offense came back to pounce on starter Samantha Grove, scoring nine uanswered runs. 

A two-run homer by Nally in the second inning put UCM on top, 2-1.

A six-spot in the third inning opened the flood gates, as the Jennies pounded out six runs on six hits to take an 8-1 lead, sending 10 batters to the plate. Nally laced a one-out, bases-clearing double to give UCM a 5-1 edge. Jessica Neely singled home the Jennies' sixth run, while pinch-hitter Alex Leonhart drove in Groeger on a fielder's choice to make it 7-1.

With runners at first and third and two outs, an error by third baseman Kylie Guthier allowed Emily King to come around and score to give cap off the scoring, giving UCM an 8-1 lead. 

Nally clinched the run-rule win for the Jennies in the bottom of the fourth with a sacrifice fly plating Jakki Prater, who led off the inning with single. 

Prater (15-11) earned the win, allowing five hits on a run. She struck out a pair and did not issue a walk. 

The Jennies' 3-through-5 hitters went a combined 6-for-8 with a homerun, six RBI and six runs scored.

The fifth-seeded Jennies will battle fourth-seeded Fort Hays State in the first round of the MIAA Tournament next Thursday, May 1 at 6 p.m. in Overland Park, Kan. 







 
Print Friendly Version
Bookmark and Share