Fayette, Mo. - For the first time in almost two years, the No. 9 ranked Central Methodist University softball team stepped out on the field of Cox Softball Complex for a home doubleheader. The Eagles swept the visiting Saint Mary Spires, both by the score of 10-2 Thursday afternoon in Fayette, Mo.
With the pair of wins, CMU improves to 14-1 overall, while the Spires drop to 5-12.
The Eagle bats opened the bottom of the first with six runs on four hits, highlighted by a two-RBI double from Madison Love and an RBI double from Jordan Jenkins.
CMU added two more runs in the bottom of the second, the first via an RBI double from Hannah Criswell to score Madison White. The second run came on an error by the Spires infield, which brought Criswell home from third.
After scoring their eighth run in the bottom of the third, the Eagles looked to take game one in five innings before the Spires responded with two runs in the top of the fifth to keep the game alive. Leading 9-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Micaela Harcrow started the inning with a double to deep centerfield, putting the Eagles just two bases away from a run-rule victory.
Adalia Sewell put the finishing touches on the Eagles' win in the next at-bat, doubling down the right-field line to score pinch-runner Kylie Avery.
Junior pitcher Keighlan Cronin earned her sixth win of 2021, tossing another complete game with two runs on two hits. She retired 21 of 26 batters including eight strikeouts.
Criswell led the offense with a pair of doubles including three RBI, while Love and Sewell each drove in two. Eight of Central's 13 hits were for extra bases, and as a team, the Eagles drew five Walks. Madison White finished the evening with three walks.
Game two was a pitcher's duel through the first three innings, as each team brought one run across the plate. Despite giving up a run in the top of the fourth, the Eagles responded with four runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 5-2 lead. Jenkins highlighted the inning with a three-run home run to left field on a 3-2 count.
Central put the finishing touches on the 10-2 win in the bottom of the fifth, courtesy of a three-run home run from Love and Jenkins' second home run of the afternoon, bringing five across the plate.
Love did double duty in game two, tossing five innings and giving up two runs on four hits along with seven strikeouts. She also finished the game batting .667 with two hits including the three-run home run in the final frame. Love now moves her record to 5-1 through six starts inside the circle. Jenkins led the offense with two runs in three at-bats and five runs driven in. Katelyn Kolb also drove in two runs on two hits, both being doubles.
CMU opens conference play with a home doubleheader against Benedictine College on Saturday, March 13 beginning at 1:00 p.m. at Cox Softball Complex.
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