Softball Suffers Pair of Losses at Park

Parkville, Mo., (April 24, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College softball team traveled to Parkville, Mo., for a Wednesday afternoon Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Park (Mo.).  The Vikings dropped a long first game, in extra-innings, 4-3, then lost in game two, 5-0.

Missouri Valley jumped out to an early lead in the opening game, as Sophomore Right Fielder Sophie De Rouin (Vienna, Austria) led off with a single, followed by a bunt single from Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.).  Later in the at-bat, Freshman Designated Player Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) singled to score De Rouin, and Junior Third Baseman Brianna Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) brought home Caitlyn Vela with a grounder to put the team ahead, 2-0.  Senior Pitcher Cherrelee Miles (Centurion, Calif.) worked around a single in the bottom half of the inning to strand the runner on-base.  Park answered back in the bottom of the second inning, using two hits to produce two runs and tie the game at 2-2.  After a scoreless third inning, MVC went back in front in the fourth, as Brianna Vela knocked out a solo homer to open the inning, and make it a 3-2 score.  The Pirates threatened in the bottom of the fourth, putting two runners on-base with one out.  Miles got out of the jam, leaving the pair stranded.

The Vikings were unable to increase their lead in the top of the fifth, while Park tied the game once again, on a sac-fly, to make it 3-3 going into the sixth inning.  Both teams put one runner into scoring position in their next at-bats, but could not create the go-ahead run.  Missouri Valley used a single from De Rouin and a double from Caitlyn Vela in the top of the seventh to put runners into scoring position with one out, but the two were left on-base.  Freshman Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) took down Park in order in the seventh, sending the game into extra-innings.  Missouri Valley left a runner stranded in the eighth, then was taken down in order in the ninth.  Park put its leadoff batter aboard in the bottom of the ninth, and an error later in the at-bat allowed the runner to score, ending the game with a 4-3 loss for the Vikings.

Caitlyn Vela had three hits and one run, while De Rouin finished with two hits and one run.  Keller had two hits and one RBI, and Brianna Vela totaled one hit, one run scored and two RBI's.  Both Sophomore Catcher Makayla Casjens (Galt, Calif.) and Sophomore First Baseman Stella Cashin (Alameda, Calif.) had two hits.  Miles went 5.2 innings, giving up eight hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts.

Park jumped out to an early lead in the second game, scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning to move ahead, 1-0.  Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands) came back to strike out one batter and strand one baserunner in the bottom of the second inning.  Casjens opened the top of the third inning with a double, and moved to third, but was unable to make it home during the at-bat.  Horsten then took down the Pirates in order in the bottom half of the inning, striking out one batter.  Park added to its lead in the fourth, using two hits and one error to sit with a 2-0 advantage.  Missouri Valley tried to rally in the top of the fifth, with a pair of singles, but two runners were left stranded.  The Pirates put the game out of reach in the fifth, tacking on another three runs.  Missouri Valley could not produce any baserunners in the final two at-bats, and fell by a final score of 5-0.

Senior Designated Player Chrisha Gray (Modesto, Calif.), Sophomore Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.), Casjens, and Sophomore Leftfielder Hailey Simons (Pleasanton, Calif.) each had one hit.  Horsten pitched five innings, giving up two earned runs with four strikeouts.  

Missouri Valley falls to 17-25 overall and 11-11 in the Heart.  Park improves to 18-20 on the season and 8-14 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking softball team is scheduled to host Graceland (Iowa) in a Heart doubleheader, Friday, for Senior Day at Lyon Bowl.  Game time is 1 p.m.

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.