(JOPLIN, Mo.) – Jennies softball (8-6) swept a pair of games during day one of the Border Battle in Joplin, defeating Nebraska-Kearney 11-3 and Missouri Southern 8-2.
The Jens used a three run third inning to take the lead after falling behind 2-1 to the Lopers and then put the game out of reach with six runs in the bottom of the fourth to cruise to the 11-3 win.
The Jennies took the lead in the third after Jakki Prater singled to score Braylyn Bivens and Medora West. Kristen Heil then increased the Jennies’ lead to 4-2 after she singled to drive in Prater. They widened the advantage to 10-3 in the sixth, scoring four runs on three Loper errors combined with a pair of runs off a single from Prater and a sacrifice fly courtesy of Jill Lucas.
Jennies pitcher Jessica Wilkes went a complete game, pitching all five innings to improve her record in the circle to 2-1 overall. Prater paced the UCM offense, going a perfect 3-3 with four RBIs.
In the second game of the day the Jennies led from start to finish, plating two runs in the top of the third, one in the fourth and five in the seventh to take an 8-2 victory over the Missouri Southern Lions.
Prater hit a sacrifice fly to open the Jennies scoring in the top of the third, driving in Medora West. Heil then doubled to score Bivens and increase the Jennies’ lead to 2-1.
West gave the Jens a 3-1 lead after she tripled in the top of the fourth, driving in Amanda Nally.
The Jennies added another five runs in the top of the seventh. The first two runs of the inning came courtesy of two errors by the Lions. Nally then grounded out to second, scoring Emily Bybee-King. Jordan Marble added another two runs when she singled to score Bengtson and Prater.
West led the Jennies, going 3-4 with a triple while Prater got the victory in the circle, pitching her fifth complete game of the season, striking out seven to improve her overall record to 5-1.
The Jennies will face William Jewell at 10 a.m. Sunday before closing out the Border Battle with a game against Missouri Western at 2 p.m.