WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 19, 2021) - Central Missouri Softball split with Sioux Falls in its opening games of the Missouri Western Regional Crossover. The Jennies took game one 6-1 and fell to the Cougars 6-7 in the second. Center fielder
Bailey Fowler led the UCM offense hitting 6-6 on the day with three doubles and two homeruns.
GAME 1 - Central Missouri 6, Sioux Falls 1
How it Happened:
• Junior center fielder
Bailey Fowler opened game one against the Cougars with a two-out bomb over the left field fence to give UCM an early 1-0 advantage after the bottom of the first.
• Sioux Falls remained hitless in through the first two innings while the Jennies recorded one hit and leaving one runner on base in the bottom of the second.
• With two outs and a runner on, Fowler hit another homerun, scoring
Abbey Fischer and herself to give the Jennies a 3-0 lead.
• Central Missouri saw another homerun in the bottom of the fourth, this time off the bat of first baseman
Makenzie McAtee. The Jennies would add another run before the end of the inning as pinch runner
Peyton Corrigan scored on a bunt single by catcher
Taylor Nickel.
• Fowler scored the Jennies sixth and final run in the bottom of the sixth. After she doubled to center, McAtee hit her home with a single to the left field.
•
Gentry Wishard and the UCM defense gave up their first hit in the top of the sixth. The Sioux Falls single was followed by a triple down the left field line, scoring the Cougars first run of the game.
• Wishard and the defense held the Cougars with no hits and no baserunners in the top of the seventh for the Jennies to earn the 6-1 victory.
• Central Missouri out hit Sioux Falls 11-3.
• The Jennies tied their season-high three homeruns in a single game.
• The Jennies defense tied their season-low three hits allowed.
Leading the Jennies:
• Fowler went 3-3 with back-to-back home runs and a double. She also led the Jennies with three RBI and three runs scored.
• McAtee also went 3-3 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring one herself.
• Fischer and Corrigan led the Jennies with one stolen base apiece.
• Wishard threw the complete game and adanced to 3-0 on the season. She allowed just three hits and one run scored without giving up a single walk. Wishard also tied her season-high five strikeouts.
Leading the Cougars:
• Rachel Klassen, Cassie Van Beek, and Damaris Cuevas each accounted for Sioux Fall's three hits.
• Klassen's triple in the top of the sixth drove in the Cougars lone run.
• Hanna Cress and Shayla Shaver each threw three innings. Shaver finished the game, allowing six hits and two UCM runs scored.
GAME 2 - Central Missouri 6, Sioux Falls 7
How it Happened:
• The Jennies were the first to score again in game two. Leadoff hitter
Abbey Fischer doubled to right center for the first hit of the game, she was then hit home on a sacrifice fly to right field by
Bailey Fowler.
• With two outs and the bases cleared,
Makenzie McAtee singled to left field. McAtee was hit home with another UCM double, this time off the bat of left fielder
Makenzie Cooper, giving the Jennies an early 2-0 lead after the first inning.
• Sioux Falls found it's first offensive stride in the second inning of game two. The Cougars scored five runs of three hits and no UCM errors to take their first lead over the Jennies at 5-2.
• Third baseman
Jessica Sader responded to the Cougars five-run inning with a solo bomb over left field in UCM's first at bat of the second inning. Central Missouri headed into the top of the third down 3-5.
• With one out and one runner on in the top of the third, Kyliegh Lay came in to replace
Paige Petefish in the circle. Lay and the UCM defense ended the inning leaving three Cougar runners on base.
• A two-run homer to center field by Cooper scored Fowler and herself to tie the game 5-5 in the bottom of the third.
• The fourth inning was the first scoreless inning of the game with only UCM recorded a hit and leaving one runner on base.
• Sioux Falls regained its lead in the top of the fifth a 6-5. The Cougars followed up a double to left field with a single up the middle and left two runners on base.
• It was Cooper again who tied things up in the bottom of the inning. After Fowler doubled to right field, Cooper sent another double to left field, scoring Fowler for the 6-6 draw.
• The Cougars scored their final run in the top of the sixth off one hit and one UCM error.
• Central Missouri went 0-3 in the bottom of the sixth but had a chance to rally in the final at-bat. After a Fowler single to the right side, Cooper was intentionally walked, giving UCM runners on first and second with two outs.
Sydney Wellshear's hard-hit fly ball to center field was caught, awarding Sioux Falls with the 7-6 win.
• The Jennies out hit Sioux Falls 11-7.
• Both teams left a total of six runners on base.
• Central Missouri tied its season-high five doubles in a single game.
• Sioux Fall's seven runs is the most allowed by UCM so far this season.
Leading the Jennies:
• Again, center fielder Fowler went 3-3 in the box and scored the team-high two runs. She finished with two doubles and a single.
• Left fielder Cooper also went 3-3 and drove in the team-high 4 RBI. Cooper finished with two doubles and a homerun.
• Fisher and
Aubrie McRoberts each finished with a stolen base.
• Lay threw 3 innings for the Jennies allowing three hits, three walks and two Cougar runs to score while recording the game-high four strikeouts.
Leading the Cougars:
• Catcher Damaris Cuevas led Sioux Falls with two hits.
• Second baseman Kylie Madrid drove in the team-high two RBI with her homerun in the top of the second.
• Third basemen Cassie Van Beek led the Cougars with two runs scored.
• Kaitlyn Van Der Zwaag threw four innings, giving up eight hits and five of UCM's six runs scored. She shared the team-high three strikeouts with Hanna Cress.
News & Notes:
• On the day, the Jennies totaled 22 hits, 12 runs, and 12 RBI. Over half of UCM's hits were for extra-bases. The Jennies finished with seven doubles and five homeruns.
• Center fielder
Bailey Fowler was a perfect 6-6 on the day with two homeruns, three doubles and a single.
•
Makenzie Cooper and Makenze McAtee both finished 4-6.
• Shortstop
Abbey Fischer was 2-2 on stolen bases.
•
Gentry Wishard is the only undefeated Jennie on the UCM pitching staff with a record of 3-0. She currently leads the MIAA with a 0.72 ERA and a .176 opposing batting average.
• Central Missouri is now 6-2 in its all-time series against Sioux Falls.
Up Next:
Jennies Softball returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, March 20th on Jennies Field. Central Missouri will first take on Concordia-St. Paul at 10:00 a.m. then St. Cloud State at 2 p.m.
