WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – Central Missouri Jennies softball had to settle for a two-game split on its opening day in Winter Haven, Florida, Friday, March 4, rolling to a 9-0 win over Saint Rose in five innings before falling to Southern Indiana in game two, 6-2, at the Diamond Plex Softball Complex.
The Jennies (4-10) are slated to play two more games Saturday, March 5, in Winter Haven, beginning at 2:45 p.m. CT vs. Georgian Court before wrapping up at 5 p.m. CT vs. Minnesota Duluth.
In the 9-0, five-inning, run-rule win over Saint Rose,
MaKenzie Cooper and
Jessica Sader each homered and went 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored, with Cooper driving in a game-high three runs and Sader tallying two RBIs, leading the Jennies offensively.
Gentry Wishard (1-2) picked up the victory in the circle after tossing a five-inning, complete-game shutout, allowing no earned runs on just two hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Central Missouri opened an early 3-0 lead with a trio of runs in the first after Cooper smashed a three-run home run to center. It was her second homer of the season.
Sader made it 4-0, Jens, after belting a solo homer to center in the top of the third. It marked her first round-tripper of 2022.
UCM ended the game with a five-run fifth inning.
Ashlyn Cook scored on a Golden Knight error for the first run of the frame, prior to
Makenzie McAtee crossing home plate on a wild pitch and Sader smacking an RBI single to left that drove in Cooper for two more runs in the inning. A
Bailey Lovelace RBI single to centerfield scored
Bailee Bryant, and
Abby Allnutt's RBI ground-out to third allowed Bryant to race home, ending the game via the five-inning run-rule.
Ciana Phillips went 2-for-2 with a double, leading Saint Rose (0-3).
Hannah Breen (0-2) suffered the loss for the Golden Knights after allowing nine runs – just three earned – on 11 hits with four strikeouts and one walk in five innings.
In UCM's 6-2 setback to Southern Indiana, the Screaming Eagles used a four-run third to overcome a 1-0 deficit and eventually post the four-run victory.
Aubrie McRoberts, Lovelace and
Laney Killpack each had two hits, while
Peyton Corrigan and Allnutt each drove in a run, pacing Central Missouri at the plate in game two.
Kaylee Diggs (0-3) took the loss in the circle for UCM after giving up four earned runs on four hits with four walks and zero strikeouts in two innings.
Rachel Martinez went 2-for-3 with a homer and five RBIs, pacing Southern Indiana (12-6).
Screaming Eagle reliever Josie Newman (3-3) earned the win, allowing no earned runs on just one hit with six Ks and no walk in 3 2/3 innings.
