CANTON, Mo. – Central Methodist University hurlers Erin Enke (JR/Martinez, Calif.) and Alexis Kohrs (SR/Tilden, Ill.) threw a pair of two-hitters Saturday afternoon, as the Eagles stayed at the top of the Southern Division of the Heart of America Athletic Conference with a 3-0, 7-0 sweep of Culver-Stockton College at Himsi Field.
The victories stretched the Eagles' winning streak to three games, as CMU has now won four of its last six games to improve to 8-3 on the road this season. The Eagles are now 18-8-1, but more importantly 9-3 in Southern Division play. They are .027 ahead of second-place Evangel University, which is 19-11 on the year, 13-5 in league action.
Culver-Stockton falls to 15-13 on the year, 9-10 in North Division action. The Wildcats currently sit in third place behind Clarke University and Grand View, 5.5 games off the pace.
GAME 1 RECAP
Enke (pictured on left) raised her season record to 7-4 in the opener, as she recorded her fourth shutout of the season. She controlled her seven frames in the circle, as she fanned 11 batters, while walking just four. Megan Creek (7-7) took the loss for the Wildcats. She went the distance, allowing three runs on seven hits, with three strikeouts and no walks.
The Eagles finished the contest with seven hits scattered between six players. Taylor Patton (SO/Columbia, Mo.) led the way with a home run, as she finished 1-for-3, with a solo shot and two runs scored. Addy Reardon recorded a pair of hits, while scoring a run.
Other CMU players picking up singles included Sydnie Harmon (SO/Raymore, Mo.) (1-for-3), Kylee Foster (SR/Sturgeon, Mo.) (1-for-3), Bailey Fidler (SO/Pleasant Hill, Mo.) (1-for-4, RBI) and Hannah Blackmon (SR/Beaumont, Texas) (1-for-4). Skyler Hime (SO/Raymore, Mo.) also drove in a run.
Sam Powers led Culver-Stockton with a 1-for-1 game at the dish.
Central Methodist took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second frame, then added runs in the fifth and seventh innings to secure the win.
GAME 2 RECAP
Kohrs kept the Wildcats at bay in the second game, as she struck out four, while walking eight, raising her record to 8-4 with a two-hitter. McKena O'Donnell was the losing pitcher for C-SC, giving up seven runs (4 earned) on 11 hits, with three strikeouts and four walks.
The top half of the CMU lineup did most of the offensive damage. The top four hitters in the lineup accounted for nine of the Eagles' 11 hits. Harmon (pictured on right) pumped out three hits (3-for-4), with a RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base. Blackmon was 2-for-3, with a triple, a walk and two runs batted in, while Fidler was 2-for-4, with a double and two runs scored. Hannah Steeby (FR/St. Joseph, Mo.) was 2-for-4 at the dish, tagging a double and driving in a pair of runs. Reardon and Hime accounted for the other two hits.
Andrea Rains and Avery Johnson had the only two hits for the Wildcats.
CMU took control of this game early, pushing a pair of runs across the plate in the opening frame and adding three more in the second for a 5-0 lead. The Eagles then added two insurance runs in the fourth to seal the win.
WHAT'S UP NEXT FOR CMU?
Central Methodist will return home Tuesday to face MidAmerica Nazarene University in a doubleheader at the Cox Softball Complex. These are games that were rained out earlier in the season. The first pitch is set for 3 p.m. CMU will also be at home on Wednesday, taking on Park University in a 3 p.m. twinbill.
CMU Softball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com
