DURANT, Okla. (Feb. 3, 2017) – Central Missouri Jennies softball started their season with a split in the first two games of the Southeastern Oklahoma Regional Invitational.
Game Two: Central Missouri 3, Southern Nazarene 2
The Jennies plated two of their runs before recording an out. After the first three runners reached base, Allie Dishinger drove home a run with fielder's choice, the second run scored on a Crimson Storm throwing error.
Southern Nazarene got a run back in the second when Shumaker drew a two-out walk. Jennies starter Jordan Johnson escaped the bases-loaded jam, coaxing and inning-ending ground out.
The Jens got the run back in the bottom half of the inning, but missed out a chance to add some more. UCM again scored a run on a SNU throwing error to regain the two-run lead. The Jennies had a chance to blow the game open, but left three runners on base.
Katie Giacone entered in the third inning and allowed one run in 3.2 innings to earn her first career victory at Central Missouri. She struck out five batters while allowing three hits and walking four. Jennies pitching didn't break over the final five innings. They stranded eight SNU base-runners, allowing only one run.
Alexa Bradley threw the final 1.1 innings. She allowed a hit and no runs to pick up her first save of the season.
The Jennies only collected three hits, but made them hold up. Lauryn Deer went 1-for-3 with a run and a stolen base. Lauren Mabe went 1-for-1 with two walks.
Katelyn Brown threw all six innings for the Crimson Storm allowing three runs on three hits with six strikeouts and five walks. Sam Smith went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a stolen base.
Game One: No. 11 Arkansas Tech 2, Central Missouri 1
The Jennies took a lead against 11th-ranked Arkansas Tech in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Alex Leonhart, but couldn't make hold up as Arkansas Tech plated two in the top of the seventh.
Alexa Bradley, making her first career start, limited the Golden Suns to no runs and five hits through six innings. She ran into trouble in the seventh, allowing a leadoff home run to start the frame and then a run scoring single brought home the game-winning run.
Bradley went seven innings giving up two runs on eight hits with two walks.
The Jennies scattered hits against 2016 Great American Pitcher of the Year Jalissa Gum. Leonhart finished 1-for-3 with a single and an RBI. Pinch runner Aubrey Daniel scored the Jennies lone run after Allie Dishinger doubled.
Central Missouri had opportunities to tack on runs, getting two runners on with two out in the fifth. Lauren Mabe also led off the sixth inning with a single, but was stranded at third.
The Jennies have two more games tomorrow. They'll take on host school Southeastern Oklahoma at 9:30 a.m. and Oklahoma Christina at 12 p.m.
