ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (April 12, 2017) - The Jennies needed to score four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to come-from-behind against Missouri Western in game one of a 6-4 win. The Jens split the series with the Griffons in their final road game of the regular season. UCM now sits at 20-23 overall and 10-8 in the MIAA.

Game One: Central Missouri 6, Missouri Western 4
The Jennies hadn't done much offensively before breaking out in the sixth inning. Missouri Western held a 2-0 lead with solo home runs to lead off the third and fourth innings.

Griffon starter Barbara Billingsley was cruising along before the Jens touched her up in the fourth. UCM smacked six hits and scored four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Starting with Courtni Smith reaching on an error, seven straight Jennies reached base. RBI singles from Carlie Rose and Aubrey Daniel tied the game, and a Dishinger double and Schoonover single put the Jens on top by two. Schoonover finished the game 4-for-4, her second four-hit game of the season.

The lead didn't last long though as Missouri Western evened things up in the home half of the sixth. But UCM came right back with two more in the seventh to take the lead for good. It looked like the Jennies might squander a two-on no-out opportunity, but the Griffons mishandled Daniels ball and both runners came around to score.

Bradley, who had entered in the sixth, needed to work around trouble to escape with the win. A one-out single and double put the tying run in scoring position. But she got a ground out and a line out to end the game. She tossed two innings to earn the win giving up no runs on four hits with a strikeout.

Katie Giacone got the start for Central Missouri. She tossed the first five innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

The Jennies pounded out 13 hits, four coming from Schoonover who also stole a base and had an RBI. Rose and Lauryn Deer each finished with two hits. Smith had a hit and scored twice.

Missouri Western collected 11 hits, three from Shelby Uhl, including a home run. Billingsley threw all seven innings, giving up 13 hits and six runs (one earned). She walked one and struck out three.

Game Two: Missouri Western 5, Central Missouri 0
Game number two was all Missouri Western. Like the first, they scored early, but this time added on and kept the Jennies bats at bay to earn the split.

An RBI single in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fourth put the Griffons up 2-0. They tacked on three more in the fifth with a double from Shelby Uhl and a two-RBI single from Paige Shifflett.  

That was more than enough for starter Kenzie Hilzer. She took the win with a complete game shutout, giving up just three hits in the process with five walks and four strikeouts.

Bradley (9-12) came back to start game two. She went 4.1 innings allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts. Giacone went the final 1.2 innings, giving up a hit and a walk with one strikeout.

Deer collected two more hits in game two, giving her four for the day. Lauren Mabe knocked the Jens only other hit.

Shifflett went 2-for-3 in the game with a run and two RBI. Rebekah Mueller had two hits and two RBI.

The Jennies finally return home to Warrensburg for the first time in three weeks when they host Washburn and Emporia State this weekend. Saturday against the Lady Hornets will be Military Appreciation Day at Jennies Field.