WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 23, 2017) - Central Missouri played their penultimate doubleheader of the regular season Sunday against Lincoln. The Jens also celebrated Senior Day, recognizing their five senior members in an on field ceremony. UCM sent the seniors out in style with a pair of wins, sweeping the Blue Tigers 4-3 (8 innings) and 9-2. The wins move UCM above .500 for the season at 26-25 and 15-9 in the MIAA.

The wins also clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament for the Jennies, where they currently sit third entering tomorrow's regular season finale. The Jennies also improved upon their MIAA win total from a year ago, where they finished 13-13 in conference play, and placed sixth in the league standings.

Game One: Central Missouri 4, Lincoln 3 - 8 innings
It looked at though the Jennies were going to make two first inning runs hold up as starter Alexa Bradley was cruising along, limiting the Blue Tigers to just two hits in the first six innings. 

Central Missouri gave Bradley an early 2-0 lead when Courtni Smith doubled home Hailey Crabtree and Makayla Schoonover with two outs. The Jens added a run in the fifth on Carlie Rose's RBI groundout.

That looked like it was going to be enough, but Lincoln stormed back in the seventh scoring three runs on back-to-back home runs from Macie Kinsey and Tori Nienhueser. 

But that wasn't about to spoil senior day for the Jens. Alex Leonhart led off the eighth with a walk and Madison Hood nubbed and infield single along the third base line. Allie Dishinger bunted the two runners over and Crabtree walked the Jens off a winner with a single over the bag at third.

The Jennies smacked nine hits, with three coming from Crabtree who was moved to the leadoff spot in the order. Smith had two hits, two RBI and a stolen base. The Jens utilized their speed stealing four bases in the game.

Katie Giacone came on in relief and dominated the Blue Tiger lineup. She earned the win pitching 1.2 innings of hitless ball and striking out four. Bradley finished the day throwing 6.1 innings giving up three runs (two earned) on four hits with a strikeout and no walks. She threw just 68 pitches in 6.1 innings.

Madison Rager threw all 7.1 innings for Lincoln giving up four runs on nine hits with a strikeout and two walks. Kiley Kerr finished 2-for-4 and Kinsey and Nienhueser drove in all three runs with home runs.



Game Two: Central Missouri 9, Lincoln 2
The second game started like the first, with the Jennies scoring three in the first but they kept adding to their total. After celebrating their five seniors between games, it was two newcomers to get the Jens on the board. Smith again drove in two in the opening inning with a two-RBI single to center. She stole second and with two outs, freshman Aubrey Daniel drove her in with a single up the middle of her own.

The Jennies got another run in the second on Mabe's RBI groundout and that was all Giacone needed in the circle. She started game two and threw a complete game giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits with four walks and three strikeouts. The two wins on the day move Giacone to 11-8 on the season. 

The offense didn't slow down and in the fourth it was the senior's turn to chip in. Mabe launched a one-out home run to center, her third of the season and 30th of her career, tying her for second all-time at UCM. With two-outs, Leonhart tacked on another run doubling home Smith who singled and stole second. 

Mabe wasn't done though and an inning later, she singled to right to drive in two more, and Makayla Schoonover scampered home with the team's ninth run one batter later.

Lincoln threatened in the fifth scoring two runs, but it could have been more. They loaded the bases with one out and scored a run on an RBI groundout before the Jennies ended the inning with an outfield assist at second when Kiley Kerr singled home a run and was thrown out trying to advance to second. 

The Jennies 15 hits tied a season-high. Eight of the nine starters collected at least one hit and five had multiple, and the Jennies stole seven bases. Crabtree picked up two more hits, giving her five in the two games with a run scored. Mabe went 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Allie Dishinger also collected three hits and scored a run. Smith went 2-for-2 with a walk, two runs and four stolen bases.

Sarah Westhoff started and got the loss for Lincoln pitching four innings and allowing all nine runs and 15 hits. Macie Kinsey pitched two hitless innings of relief with a stirkeout and a walk. Kerr had one of the Blue Tigers' two hits, a walk and an RBI. 

The Jennies have one doubleheader left in the regular season. They host Lindenwood, tomorrow, April 24, with a 2 p.m. start time.