Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
(OVERLAND PARK, Kan.) – Jennies softball (27-30) split on day two of the MIAA Postseason Tournament at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex Friday afternoon, defeating Northwest Missouri State 6-4 in eight innings in a lightning delayed first game before coming up just short of a thrilling comeback in game two against 21
st ranked Missouri Western, falling 8-5. With the loss to Missouri Western, the Jennies are eliminated from the MIAA Tournament, finishing the season with a 27-30 overall record.
The Jennies began game one with a double by
Jaydee Young, taking the 1-0 lead. The Bearcats answered right back though in the bottom of the second, scoring three runs on a home run from Anastaszia Roseberry, giving them the 3-1 advantage.
The very next at bat the game was delayed due to lightning in the vicinity of the field but resumed about an hour later when the playing field was determined to be safe.
The Jennies cut into the Bearcat lead in the top of the third, scoring a run on a double to right center by
Ashlea Bengtson, making it 3-2 Northwest Missouri.
Bengtson provided another clutch double in the top of the fifth inning, a powerful blast to dead-center, knotting the game up, 3-3.
Central Missouri took the 4-3 lead in the top of the seventh, courtesy of a double to right centerfield from
Jordan Marble. The Bearcats didn't go away though, tying the contest back up in the bottom half of the inning on a Kristen Uthe triple, sending the game to extra innings.
Bengtson stepped to the plate in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded and two outs and delivered her third key hit of the game, a single to left field, scoring two runs, giving the Jens the 6-4 lead. Jennies' right-hander
Jakki Prater brought the Jennies home to victory in the bottom half of the inning, striking out two Bearcats and getting the third out on a fly ball, securing the 6-4 win. Bengtson was 3-4 with four RBIs in game one, and made two impressive diving catches in centerfield.
Prater pitched a complete game, striking out an impressive 12 batters while only allowing two earned runs, improving her record to 4-4 overall.
The Jennies advanced to play No. 21 Missouri Western in the second game of the day, mounting a furious comeback effort in the fifth inning, but fell 8-5.
Central Missouri struggled at the beginning of the game, committing three errors in the bottom of the first, helping Missouri Western take an early 4-0 lead.
The Griffons plated another three runs in the bottom of the third, opening up a commanding 7-0 lead over the Jennies.
The Jennies engineered a thrilling comeback in the top of the fifth inning, scoring five runs, pulling them within two of the Griffons, 7-5. The inning began with a three-run home run to right field from
Katie Groves, the first round-tripper of the season for the senior from Bluffdale, Utah.
Braylyn Bivens gave the Jennies two more runs when she sent another towering home run to right field, her second this season.
That would be as close as the Jennies would get the rest of the game, though, resulting in the 8-5 loss.
Groves finished the game 2-3, driving in three runs while Bivens was 2-4 with two RBIs.
