FULTON, Mo. -- The William Woods University softball team split with Missouri Valley College in its Senior Day doubleheader on Monday, winning the opening game 4-0 before falling 5-3 in eight innings in the nightcap.
MacKenzie Bowden (Hartsburg, Mo.) struck out 14 and allowed just three hits in the complete game win, with
Kelsey Schulte (Honey Creek, Mo.) fanning eight in the game two loss.
The first game was a defensive battle through the first four innings, with the Lady Vikings putting two runners on - one in the first and one in the second - to three for the Owls - in the bottom of the first, second and fourth innings - but stranding the runners.
WWU was able to break the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning, as
Kristy Pluchinski (Wright City, Mo.) led off the inning with a single up the middle.
Carinda Schulte (Jefferson City, Mo.) reached on a fielder's choice as
Megan Cooper (St. Louis, Mo.) was forced out at second pinch running for Pluchinski. Singles by
Leesa Schaumann (Billings, Mo.) and
Mariah Danison (Auxvasse, Mo.) loaded the bases.
Ilissa Facchini (Tulare, Calif.) plated
Carinda Schulte with an infield single before
Whitney Eufinger (St. Charles, Mo.) lined out to second.
Kelsey Schulte would add two with a single through the legs of the first baseman, scoring Schaumann and Danison. The Owls would add the fourth on a perfect double steal, as Schulte eluded the rundown and Facchini slid around the tag attempt at home, but WWU couldn't add a fifth.
A one-out double by Pluchinski followed by a walk to
Carinda Schulte in the bottom of the sixth chased the Lady Vikings starter from the game, but the Owls weren't able to add an insurance run, closing out the game in the top of the seventh.
The Owls found themselves down 1-0 in the second inning of the second game, but threatened to level the score in the bottom of the fourth.
Sam Parsons (Hallsville, Mo.) led off with a single down the right field line, with Pluchinski adding her third hit of the series to put runners on first and second.
Lauren Lopes (Lompoc, Calif.) hit a towering fly ball to deep right for the first out of the inning, but the Owls weren't able to capitalize as the base runners were frozen at first and second. It would come back to haunt WWU, as as
Carinda Schulte hit a comebacker to the pitcher, reaching first as Parsons was forced out at third. Schaumann closed the inning with a pop up to short.
Missouri Valley would pull out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the sixth with back-to-back home runs - all but one MVC run in the game was scored via home run - but WWU battled back, scoring two in the bottom of the frame and retiring the Lady Vikings in order in the seventh.
Linsdey LeCuru (Jefferson City, Mo.) led off the seventh with a single, with Eufinger moving her to second with a sac bunt that dropped just in front of the plate.
Kelsey Schulte belted a triple to right-center that nearly cleared the wall, scoring LeCuru easily and leaving the Owls with the winning run on third. Unfortunately, the Owls couldn't close out the game, as Parsons popped out to second and Pluchinski grounded out to second, sending the game to extra innings.
MVC broke the tie with a one-out solo home run from Janie Jungermann - her second of the game - and added a second run, with WWU unable to answer in the bottom of the eighth.
The Owls move to 23-14 on the year and remain at home, returning to action on Thursday as they host Stephens College in an AMC doubleheader. Thursday's doubleheader, slated for a 2 p.m. start, is also the fourth annual "Think Pink" game to benefit breast cancer research. T-Shirts will be available at the game from the William Woods office of Student Life, with proceeds going to the Susan G. Comen Foundation.
