Heart Softball Conference Tournament: Day One Recap
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – All four top seeds won their first-round matchup and advanced to the winner's bracket, but No. 8 Baker picked up the first upset of the tournament as they run-ruled No. 5 William Penn, 10-2 in the final game of the day and the first elimination game of the tournament.
Game 1: No. 4 Benedictine Defeats No. 5 William Penn, 4-1
Two runs in the first and two runs in the sixth were enough for the Ravens on Thursday as No. 4 Benedictine took down No. 5 William Penn, 4-1 in the first round of the Heart of America Conference Tournament.
Bailey Selvage got the start for Benedictine in the circle, throwing her 19th complete game of the season and allowing just one run on four hits. Tori Smith pitched all six innings for William Penn and gave up just four hits but allowed four total runs and three earned runs.
Megan Forsman of Benedictine was the only player from either team to have multiple hits, but Lauren Gaitley led all players with two RBI for the Ravens. It didn't take long for Benedictine to get the scoring started as Forsman drove in a run on a single, followed by the another run on an error to hold a 1-0 lead after just the first inning.
In the top of the fourth inning, William Penn's Laila Smith led off the inning with a solo home run, to cut the deficit to 2-1, but Benedictine would collect three straight outs to end the inning. With the Ravens holding a one-run lead, Gaitley drove in her two RBI on a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 4-1 and seal the win for the Ravens.
No. 4 Benedictine will now advance to take on No. 1 Missouri Baptist in the second round of the winner's bracket at 12 p.m., on Friday, May 1. The No. 5 Statesmen moved into the elimination bracket and faced off with No. 8 Baker on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m., in the first elimination game of the tournament.
Game 2: No. 1 Missouri Baptist Defeats No. 8 Baker, 3-0
No. 1 Missouri Baptist held the No. 8 Wildcats to just two hits on Thursday as the Spartans took game two of the Heart of America Conference Tournament, 3-0.
Brooklynn Fischer had a strong outing in the circle for MBU, throwing a complete game and striking out nine batters while allowing just two hits. Baker's Camrynn Yardley also pitched every inning, allowing three runs on six hits.
After a scoreless first inning, Miranda Ladson led off the bottom of the second inning with a solo home run to give Missouri Baptist a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the third inning, the Spartans added to their lead after a double from Makayla Johnson and a walk to Allison Leigraf was followed by singles from Fischer and Alexi Sanchez to score two and push the lead to 3-0.
No. 1 Missouri Baptist would go on to win the game 3-0 and advance to the second round of the winner's bracket. They will now face off with No. 4 Benedictine at 12 p.m., on Friday, May 1. The No. 8 Wildcats moved into the elimination bracket and played No. 5 William Penn on Thursday evening at 7:30 p.m., in the first elimination game of the tournament.
Game 3: No. 3 Grand View Defeats No. 6 William Woods, 1-0
Game three of the Heart of America Conference Tournament was a defensive battle all the way until the end as No. 3 Grand View came away with a 1-0 walk-off win over No. 6 William Woods.
Madeline Waldorf and Taylor Baumhoer each pitched the entire game for their respective teams. Waldorf gave up just one hit in the game, while Baumhoer allowed just one run on only three hits.
Neither team had a hit entering the fourth inning, but William Woods broke that streak with a single. After Grand View closed out the fourth without any damage, the Vikings got a hit of their own in the bottom of the fifth, but the game remained scoreless into the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, Nevaeh Randall singled to start the inning. After a sac-bunt from Caedence Risius and walk and hit by pitch to Alexia Jarrett and Reece Cooley, Ceara Swanson stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Swanson then hit a sac-fly to left field and scored the runner from third to give Grand View the 1-0 win.
No. 3 Grand View will now advance to the second round of the winner's bracket where they will take on No. 2 Central Methodist at 2:30 p.m., on Friday, May 1. The No. 6 Owls will take on No. 7 Mount Mercy in an elimination game at 9:30 a.m., on Friday, May 1.
Game 4: No. 2 Central Methodist Defeats No. 7 Mount Mercy, 6-5
With seven of the game's 11 runs being scored in the seventh inning, No. 2 Central Methodist walked off on No. 7 Mount Mercy on Thursday, 6-5.
Karlie Barnum got the start for Central Methodist and threw 6.1 strong innings before Haley Cotter came in and pitched the final 0.2 innings and earned the win. Ashley Webb of Mount Mercy also pitched the entire game, allowing six runs on 10 hits.
The power was on display in the first inning as Kaysie Jolley and Elizabeth Palumbo hit back-to-back home runs with one out to give CMU an early 2-0 lead. After four scoreless innings, the Eagles added to their lead on a double from Madison Roberts and a single from Kinlei Boley to move the lead to 4-0.
With Central Methodist in control going into the seventh inning, Mount Mercy was not done fighting. The Mustangs put together an inning of five hits and capitalized on one error. With hits in the seventh coming from Ashley Smith, Mia Petersen, Lilly Wuethrich, Kendra Mescher and Calli Janik, the Mustangs rattled off five runs and took a 5-4 lead.
A walk and a double started the bottom of the seventh for the Eagles, and after a groundout for the first out, Palumbo walked to load the bases. Maddie Holly then stepped to the plate and singled through the right side and scored two runs to give Central Methodist the 6-5 win.
No. 2 Central Methodist advances to the second round of the winner's bracket and will take on No. 3 Grand View on Friday, May 1, at 2:30 p.m. No. 7 Mount Mercy will take on No. 6 William Woods in an elimination game at 9:30 a.m., on Friday, May 1.
Game 5: No. 8 Baker Defeats No. 5 William Penn, 10-2 (5 Inn.)
An explosion of nine runs in the fifth inning was what the No. 8 Baker Wildcats needed to run-rule No. 5 William Penn in the first elimination game of the tournament on Thursday night.
After pitching game one of the day, Camrynn Yardley came back and threw all five innings in this elimination game, allowing just two runs on six hits with only one earned run. William Penn threw three pitchers in the game including Austin Hitchner, Shannon Van Rheenan and Tori Smith.
Baker got on the board first in the top of the second inning on an RBI from Taryn Hull to hold a 1-0 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, McKenna Vassar singled through the left side for the Statesmen and scored one to tie the game, 1-1.
Baker then caught fire in the top of the fifth inning scoring nine runs on eight hits, highlighted by doubles from Lily Rowe, Gracie Gallagher, and Hull to give the Wildcats a commanding 10-1 lead. William Penn was able to get one run in the bottom of the fifth on a single from Leah Conlon, but they could not avoid the run-rule as Baker won the elimination game, 10-2 in five innings.
No. 8 Baker will now advance to take on either No. 2 Central Methodist or No. 3 Grand View at 7:30 p.m., on Friday, May 1. No. 5 William Penn's tournament has come to an end.