KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Central Methodist University softball program dropped a pair of games at Avila University on Sunday afternoon.
GAME ONE (L 10-2)
The Eagles got on the board early after a double to left-center from Katelyn Kiser (FR/Kansas City, Mo.) placed a runner in scoring position. A sacrifice fly from Morgan Willis (SR/Carrollton, Mo.) scored the awaiting runner, giving Central a 1-0 advantage.
Both teams were scoreless through the next four frames until Willis earned an RBI on a double that squeaked through the hole at second. The Eagles entered the bottom of the fifth with a 2-0 lead, but a 10-run rally from Avila closed the game early in the bottom of the frame.
Keighlan Cronin (SO/St. Charles, Mo.) took the loss at the mound after tossing 4.1 innings. She surrendered nine earned runs on six hits while striking out five batters and walking four.
GAME TWO (L 6-5)
Central struck first again in the second game with a two-run inning in the opening frame. Hannah Criswell (JR/Kennett, Mo.) earned an RBI after notching a single to left-center to score the first run before the second tally was brought in on a walk.
Avila was able to cut the lead in half after scoring one in the bottom of the third, but CMU responded with a pair of runs in the fifth off the bats of Mae Mitchell (SR/Frederick, Colo.) and Taylor Dial (SO/Ava, Mo.).
Central's lead disappeared when AU rattled off four runs over the next two innings, but a homerun from Mitchell on a 3-2 tied the contest and forced an extra inning. Avila secured the win in the bottom of the eighth after recording an RBI single while facing a two-out situation.
Cronin was charged with the loss at the mound after surrendering the final run in the contest. Madison Love (JR/Holts Summit, Mo.) and Hannah Marshall (FR/Marshall, Mo.) also appeared on the bump. Love tossed six innings, surrendering five earned runs on 10 hits while punching out six batters. Marshall walked two batters through one inning.
UP NEXT:
The Eagles are set to compete in the CBC Mustang Meltdown in Conway, Ark., on February 21st and 22nd.
