Softball Drops Home Doubleheader Games to Baker

Marshall, Mo., (April 14, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College softball team hosted Baker (Kan.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader, Sunday afternoon. The Vikings fell in the opener, 3-1, followed by a 13-8 defeat in game two. 

The first game started with Baker going in front early, using two hits and one run in the top of the first inning. The Wildcats followed with more offense in the second inning, scoring two runs on three hits to make it 3-0. Missouri Valley threatened in the bottom half, as Sophomore First Baseman Olivia Bettencourt (Murrieta, Calif.) walked and Junior Third Baseman Brianna Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) doubled to right field, but both were left stranded. Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands) kept the Wildcats scoreless, facing the minimum in the third and fourth inning. Bettencourt grounded out two batters unassisted in the top of the fifth to keep the scoreboard close. 

Missouri Valley tried to rally in the bottom of the sixth, which started with singles from Sophomore Shortstop Sophie De Rouin (Vienna, Austria), Junior Second Baseman Avery Gifford (Kansas City, Mo.) and Bettencourt to load the bases. Sophomore Pinch Runner Stella Cashin (Alameda, Calif.) followed with a single to right field bringing Rouin home, 3-1. Missouri Valley had a comeback attempt at the plate with loaded bases and no outs, but the Vikings were unable to produce any more runs and the team fell, 3-1.

Rouin had one hit and one run scored. Gifford, Bettencourt, Cashin, B. Vela and Sophomore Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.) finished with one hit each. The loss went to Horsten, who pitched seven innings, giving up seven hits, three earned runs with five strikeouts.

Game two started with Missouri Valley producing from the plate in the first inning, as Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) singled and then stole second, Gifford reached first on an error by the pitcher and C. Vela scored. Bettencourt followed with a single to second base and Freshman Designated Player Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) brought home Gifford with a single, making it a 2-0 score. The Wildcats got those runs back, using three hits to score two runs tying the game at 2-2 in the second inning. After a scoreless inning for the Vikings, Baker eventually went in front, scoring four runs in the top of the third inning. Missouri Valley cut into its deficit with a single each from Bettencourt and Keller, then Sophomore Centerfielder Jena Emerson (Live Oak, Calif.), who came in to pinch run for Bettencourt, and Keller advanced one base on a wild pitch. Sophomore Catcher Makayla Casjens (Galt, Calif.) doubled to center field to bring both runners home to make it a 6-4 score. 

The Wildcats used a three-run homer to extend their lead in the fourth inning, then tacked on two runs in the top of the fifth, 11-4. Baker scored another run in sixth and the Vikings responded with a long rally in the bottom half, as Junior Catcher Cris Aguiar (Livingston, Calif.), Castruita and Sophomore Leftfielder Hailey Simons (Pleasanton, Calif.) all singled, loading the bases. Rouin allowed Aguilar to score with a single to third base, while C. Vela doubled to bring two runners home. Later in the inning, the Vikings scored one more run, as Rouin reached home safely after a BU error, making it a 12-8 score. The Vikings were unable to climb back late, and fell by a final score of 13-8.

C. Vela finished with three hits and one run. Keller followed with two hits and one scored run, while Rouin, Aguilar, Castruita and Simons totaled one hit and one run each. The loss went to Miles, who pitched 4.0 innings, giving up eleven hits and nine earned runs and two strikeouts.

The pair of losses drops Missouri Valley to 16-20 overall and 10-6 in the Heart. Baker improves to 27-11 on the season and 12-6 in the conference.

Up next, the Vikings softball team will host UHSP (Mo.) in a non-conference doubleheader, Tuesday 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.