Season Stats |
Box Score |
Photo GalleryWARRENSBURG, Mo. - Behind
Katie Shockley's arm and
Alex Leonhart's late inning heroics, Central Missouri (47-14) defeated Henderson State to move to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Championship next weekend.
Shockley and Reddies starter Michelle Sorensen were engaged in a scoreless pitcher's dual that last five and a half innings.
The Jennies finally got on board in the sixth when
Jakki Prater led off with a single. Two batters later, Leonhart provided the power and launched a two-run home run over the left center field fence, her fourth of the season. Leonhart proved clutch throughout the season. She hit the game-winning home run against Lindenwood to clinch the MIAA regular season and ended two games with walk-off hits.
For Shockley, it was her team-leading 25th win in the circle, tying her with Kristen Grime (1991) for the single-season record. Shockley went the distance allowing no runs on just three hits and picked up her third shutout of the season. She started all three games for the Jennies during the opening rounds and threw all 21 innings, allowing four runs (three earned), on 10 hits with 10 strikeouts pitching to a 1.00 ERA.
Leonhart was 2-for-3 on the day with the home run and two RBI. Prater was 1-for-3 with a run scored and
Makayla Schoonover was 1-for-2 with her 26th stolen base, fourth most in a single season.
The win puts the Jennies in the Super Regional where they'll face the region's No. 1 overall seed, Augustana (S.D.). Being the No. 1 seed Augustana will host the best two-out-of-three series in Sioux Falls, S.D. Game one takes place Friday, May 15 with game two and three (if necessary) Saturday, May 16.
