WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 26, 2017) - Central Missouri Softball ran their winning streak to seven and went a perfect 6-0 this week, defeating Nebraska-Kearney 4-3 and 11-3. After pitching dominated Saturday, the Jennies offense came alive, helped out by three home runs as they scored 15 runs against the Lopers.
At 17-16 the Jennies are above .500 for the first time since the opening week. They also lead the MIAA with a 7-1 conference record.
Game One: Central Missouri 4, Nebraska-Kearney 3
The Lopers opened in the scoring in both the first and second games. In game one they got on the board in the first after a two-out error plated a run. The Jennies answered though in the second when
Aubrey Daniel picked up another two-out RBI with a single that squeezed past a diving first baseman.
The Jennies took their first lead of the game an inning later when
Alex Leonhart's single up the middle scored
Lauren Mabe who doubled to lead off the inning. They added two more in the fourth when
Jordan Johnson launched her first career home run. A two-run, opposite field shot which proved to be the winning run.
Nebraska-Kearney inched closer getting two more runs in the top of the fifth, but relief pitcher
Katie Giacone shut down the Lopers over the final two innings to earn her second save of the season.
Giacone saved the game for
Alexa Bradley who tossed the first 4.2 innings. She allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Giacone went the final 2.1 innings and struck out three allowing one hit and one walk.
Mabe finished the game with two doubles and a run scored. Johnson reached base three times going 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBI, two walks and a run scored.
The Lopers Meg Housholder took the loss throwing six innings and allowing all four runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Alexis Howe was 2-for-4 with a run scored and Nicole Spykstra drove in a pair.
Game Two: Central Missouri 11, Nebraska-Kearney 3
What started out as a pitcher's dual quickly turned into a slug-fest. The Lopers scored two in the first on a two-out, two RBI double from Spykstra. The Jens got a run back in the second. Pinch runner
Makayla Schoonover stole second and third before scoring on Leonhart's ground ball to cut the lead in half, 2-1.
The pitchers took over from there as Johnson and Loper starter Sara Sempek matched zeros. That was until the fifth inning when the Jens claimed their first lead of the game thanks to a four-run inning.
Hailey Crabtree tied things at two with a solo blast over the center field fence. Johnson then helped herself with an RBI sacrifice fly to give UCM the lead. The Jens then added two unearned runs when Mabe reached on an error and Leonhart's infield single scored her.
Sempek responded with a home run in the top of the sixth to cut the lead to 5-3. That was as close as the Lopers got though as Giacone entered with the tying run at the plate. She walked the first batter she faced, putting the tying runs on base, but got a fly out and strikeout to end the threat.
If a four-run fifth is good, a six-run sixth is even better. UCM sent seven batters to the plate and scored six runs. The Jens had already scored two runs when
Allie Dishinger stepped up with the bags full. She sent the fans home early, hitting a game-ending grand slam to center, her second home run of the season.
Dishinger finished the game 3-for-4 with a run scored and four RBI. The Jennies pounded out 12 hits, getting two apiece from Johnson, Crabtree and
Courtni Smith. Crabtree and Daniel each scored twice and Leonhart drove in two.
Johnson earned the win in the circle for the Jens, improving to 4-3. She tossed 5.1 innings giving up three runs on seven hits with a walk and career-high six strikeouts.
Giacone got the final two outs for Central Missouri and entered when it was a save situation, so she picked up her second save of the day, third of the season. The Jennies have seven saves as a team to lead the MIAA.
Sempek was the losing pitcher for the Lopers. She threw 4.2 innings giving up five runs (two earned) on six hits with a walk. Abbey Martin gave up six runs (five earned) on six hits in her 0.2 innings of work.
Sempek also had a home run and went 2-for-3 with two runs and an RBI. Spykstra was 3-for-3 with two runs batted in.
Central Missouri can rest up for the next few days. They take the field again Friday, March 31 for a doubleheader against Missouri Western in St. Joseph, Mo.
