Softball Wins Game Two, Splits With Evangel

Marshall, Mo., (April 14, 2023)- The Missouri Valley College softball welcomed in Evangel (Mo.) to Lyon Bowl for a Friday afternoon Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader.  The Vikings dropped the first game, 8-4, but bounced back to win game two by a 3-1 score.

Evangel went in front early in the first game, scoring one run on one hit.  Missouri Valley followed with production from the plate in the bottom half, as Freshman Shortstop Aidee Mendoza (Santa Ana, Calif.) singled, then came home on a double from Senior Designated Player Lauren Caswell (Santa Clause, Ind.) to tie the contest at 1-1.  The Valor rallied in the second inning, using four hits and two errors to score five runs and go back on top, 6-1.  The Vikings got one of those runs back in the third, as Mendoza singled and came home later in the inning on a base hit from Sophomore First Baseman Morgan Newmyer (Davenport, Iowa) to cut the deficit to 6-2.  The top of the fourth featured EU extending its lead on a two-run homer, to make it an 8-2 score.  Sophomore Third Baseman Brianna Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) opened the bottom half of the inning with a double, and scored on a single from Junior Catcher Baylee Smuin (Vernal, Utah) to cut the deficit to 8-3.  Sophomore Pitcher Abby Kinzler (Grain Valley, Mo.) worked around three hits in the fifth, stranding two base runners to keep Evangel scoreless.  The Vikings produced another run in the bottom half of the inning, as Senior Second Baseman Ashley Cox (Yreka, Calif.) walked, then came home on a Smuin single to make it an 8-4 score.  Kinzler kept the Valor scoreless in the sixth and seventh innings, stranding three baserunners in the process.  Missouri Valley was unable to rally late, and fell by a final score of 8-4.

Caswell finished with three hits and one RBI, while Mendoza added two hits and two runs scored.  Smuin totaled three hits and two RBI's.  Kinzler pitched the final 5.1 innings in relief, giving up six hits and two earned runs.

Game two began with Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands) working around a lead off walk in the top of the first inning, striking out two batters and leaving the runner stranded.  Senior Centerfielder Viviana Gamez (Newark, Calif.) was hit to start the bottom of the first, and Vela doubled to put the runners in scoring position.  However, a double play ended the rally attempt and kept the teams scoreless.  Horsten took down EU in order in the second inning, striking out a pair, and the Vikings used a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning to go on top.  Sophomore Third Baseman Sydnee Weber (Visalia, Calif.) tripled and came home on a single from Junior Rightfielder Chrisha Gray (Modesto, Calif.) to make it a 1-0 score.  After a scoreless third inning, both teams produced from the plate in the fourth.  The Valor used one hit and two MVC errors to tie the contest at 1-1, but Horsten got out of the inning with a strikeout to leave two runners on-base.  The bottom of the inning featured a pair of singles from Cox and Weber, followed by a double from Senior Catcher Carly Powley (Keenesburg, Colo.) to drive both runners home and put the team back on top, 3-1.  Horsten faced the minimum in the fifth and sixth innings.  In the top of the seventh, Evangel was unable to produce a base runner, and Horsten struck out a pair of batters to finish out the 3-1 win.

Weber led with two hits and two runs scored, while Powley added one hit and two RBI's.  Cox totaled one hit and one run, and Gray had one hit and one RBI.  Horsten pitched the complete game, giving up three hits and no earned runs with eight strikeouts.

The split puts Missouri Valley at 20-14 overall and 9-5 in the Heart.  Evangel sits at 24-12 on the season and 11-5 in the conference..

Up next, the Viking softball team hosts MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) in a Heart doubleheader, Saturday at 2 p.m., at Lyon Bowl.

Game 1 Box Score-Click Here

Game 2 Box Score-Click Here

ABOUT MISSOURI VALLEY COLLEGE

Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.