(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) – Central Missouri Jennies softball split a doubleheader with Southwest Baptist Friday afternoon. UCM dropped game one 12-2 after the Bearcats scored eight in the seventh. The Jens then came back to win the second, 4-2 behind Katie Shockley in the circle and Jakki Prater‘s tie-breaking home run.
UCM moved to 21-9 on the season and 5-1 in MIAA play. The Bearcats are now 11-16 and 3-9 in the conference.
Game One: SBU 12, UCM 2
Prater and Bearcat starting pitcher Kacey Ayers were deadlocked in a scoreless game after two innings. SBU started the scoring with a two-out two-run home run from Caitlyn Cooner in the top of the third.
The Jennies came back in the bottom of the fourth, tying the game at two on Carlie Rose‘s third home run of the season. That was all the scoring for the Jennies as Ayers kept from from crossing the plate the rest of the game.
The Bearcats took the lead for good in the fifth, scoring a pair of runs on an RBI single and sacrifice fly. SBU put the game away in the seventh with an eight run frame. Brittanie Halquist capped the scoring with a two-run home run.
Prater took the loss for UCM, throwing six inning allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 11 hits with four strikeouts and three walks.
Rose tallied two of the Jennies hits and both RBI.
Game Two: UCM 4, SBU 2
Similar to game one, both teams were held scoreless through two complete innings. The Bearcats again opening the scoring, plating a run on a Jennies fielding error.
UCM took their first lead in the bottom of the inning, scoring two runs on four hits. Keelia Martin produced an RBI double and Lindsey Dawson drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly.
The Bearcats tied the contest in the top of the fifth on a one-out double from Halquist. SBU threatened for more with runners in scoring position and one out, but Shockley worked out of the jam getting a fly out and ending the inning with a strikeout.
The Jennies went back on top, 3-2, when Prater blasted her fourth home run of the season, deep over the center field fence.
UCM added some insurance in the sixth, scoring on a Bearcat fielding error for their fourth and final run. Shockley shut the door with a 1-2-3 seventh to pick up her seventh win of the season.
Shockley threw a seven-inning complete game allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits. She struck out four and walked two.
The Jennies collected eight hits, two coming from Madison Hood. Martin, Dawson and Prater had an RBI each.