HAYS, Kan. (March 23, 2018) - Central Missouri Jennies Softball pushed their winning streak to seven with a Friday afternoon sweep of Fort Hays State on the road. The Jennies won 7-1 and 2-1 to improve to 16-14 overall and 5-1 in the MIAA.
 
Game One: Central Missouri 7, Fort Hays State 1
Play-by-Play
• UCM grabbed the lead right away. They put up two runs on five hits to get out 2-0. Lauryn Deer led the game off with a single. Courtni Smith got her home with a single up the middle. Hailey Crabtree made it a 2-0 Jens lead with a RBI single that scored Payton Summers.
• The Tigers (7-25, 3-7 MIAA) responded loading the bases twice in the bottom of the first, but managed just one run scored. They scored the run on a RBI single to right center from Candace Bollig before the Jens escaped jam.
• Defense was the theme the rest of the game for the Jens. Although the Tigers had opportunities to score and managed 12 hits, they never plated another runner home the rest of the game.
• FHSU worked a 1-2-3 top of the second and looked to tie the game with runners in scoring position, but UCM kept them stranded to maintain a 2-1 lead. Both teams went scoreless in the third.
• The Jens ended the drought with a run scored in the fourth to get up 3-1. Crabtree led off with a double and was plated home thanks to a RBI single from Alexis Koop. A 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth kept UCM in front by two.
• FHSU looked to cut into the UCM lead and potentially tie the game in the fifth. They got runners to second and third after back-to-back doubles with one out. Alexa Bradley held composure and forced a ground out and a fly out to keep the runners stranded.
• Two runs in the sixth gave the Jens a 5-1 lead. Allie Dishinger singled to left field to plate home pinch runner Makayla Schoonover. After Deer was hit by a pitch to get on base, Dishinger scored the unearned run on a FHSU throwing error.
• For safe measure, UCM added two more insurance runs in the seventh to secure a 7-1 win. Summers hit a double to right center. Katie Giacone then pinch ran for her and got to third on a Crabtree single. Both were immediately plated home off a two RBI single from Koop.
 
Jennies Stat Leaders
• Koop led the way for UCM with 3 RBI on 2-3 hitting
• Crabtree had the most hits going 3-4, with a runs scored and a RBI.
• Smith had two hits in three at bats, with a RBI
• Dishinger went 1-3, with a run scored and a RBI.
• Bradley earned her third win of the season to move to 3-2. In five innings pitched, she struck out two batters and allowed just one run.
 
For the Tigers
• Bollig led FHSU going 3-4 on the day with a RBI.
• Grace Philop was 2-4 and had the lone run scored for the Tigers.
• Bailey Boxberger also had three hits in four at bats.
• Hailey Chapman suffered the loss in the circle to fall to 2-14. She pitched a complete game allowing seven runs, six earned, on 14 hits. She had a game-high six strikeouts on the day.
 
Game Two: Central Missouri 2, Fort Hays State 1
Play-by-Play
• Game two was a pitching battle as the first run did not come until the fifth inning. Both teams had just two hits apiece going into the fifth inning.
• The Tigers broke up the scoreless game in the bottom of the fifth after working a 1-2-3 setup at the top of the inning.
• Veronica Knittig led off with a single. Sydney Harsh replaced her as a pinch runner and got to second on a sacrifice bunt. Grace Philop got her home with a RBI double to left center.
• The Jens took their only lead of the game when it mattered, the seventh inning. Hailey Crabtree was walked and Emily King was hit by pitch to give the Jens a chance to tie or take the lead. Allie Dishinger gave UCM the 2-1 lead with a two RBI triple to right field.
• UCM closed out the game with a 1-2-3 inning to earn their second MIAA sweep of the season. Sarah Brown and Katie Giacone were both solid in the circle for the Jens to keep the game in reach.
 
Jennies Stat Leaders
• Dishinger went 1-3 with two RBI to lead the way for UCM.
• Courtni Smith, Taylor Dames and Lauryn Deer all went 1-3 in the game.
• Although Brown did not get the win, she went four innings pitched and allowed just three hits in that span.
• Giacone got her second win of the day to improve to 6-5 on the year. She allowed just three hits in the final three innings.
 
For the Tigers
• Philop was 1-4 and had the only RBI to lead FHSU.
• Knittig had two hits in three at bats.
• Terran Caldwell finished 2-4 to round out the hitting for the Tigers.
• Hailey Chapman suffered her second loss of the day to fall to 2-15. In just 0.2 inning pitched she allowed one earned run that ultimately cost the Tigers the game.
 
News and Notes
• The Jennies are now on a seven game winning streak. With the two wins, they now have an above .500 record and have won back-to-back MIAA doubleheaders
• Against FHSU, UCM has won five straight and nine of the last 10 games. UCM is now 22-14 all-time against the Tigers and 21-12 under Susan Anderson.
• Bradley and Giacone have now won back-to-back games in the circle for the Jennies.
 
Up Next
• The Jennies are right back in action Saturday afternoon with their third straight MIAA doubleheader. They take on the Nebraska-Kearney Lopers with the game one pitch set for 12 p.m.