Softball Overcomes Deficit, Tops Baker in Conference Tournament

Cedar Rapids, Iowa, (May 3, 2024)- The No. 7 seed Missouri Valley College softball team opened play in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament, Friday morning in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, against No. 2 seed Baker (Kan.).  The Vikings fell into an early deficit, but rallied late to earn a 5-4 victory.

Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the top of the first inning, and Baker followed with production from the late in the bottom half to go on top early.  Two hits and one error created two runs and made it a 2-0 score.  The Wildcats tacked on another run in the second inning, and added one more run in the third to hold a 4-0 lead.  Baker nearly increased its advantage again in the bottom of the fourth, putting a pair of runners into scoring position with one out.  However, Freshman Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) worked out of the jam to keep BU scoreless.  

The fifth inning opened with the first two batters reaching safely for the Vikings, as Sophomore Catcher Makayla Casjens (Galt, Calif.) made it on-base after an error, and Sophomore First Baseman Stella Cashin (Alameda, Calif.) singled.  Casjens came home later in the at-bat on a double from Sophomore Leftfielder Hailey Simons (Pleasanton, Calif.), and Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) drove home two runners with another double.  The rally continued with a walk from Junior Second Baseman Avery Gifford (Kansas City, Mo.), then Sophomore Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.) drove home Vela on a single to tie the teams at 4-4.  The Wildcats put their leadoff batter on-base in the bottom half, but Shuff took down the next three batters.  Baker threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with one out.  Shuff worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a fly-out to strand all three runners and keep the teams tied.  The top of the seventh featured a two-out rally for MVC, as Simons and Gifford both worked walks.  Castruita followed with a single that brought home Simons and gave the team a 5-4 lead.  The Wildcats again put their leadoff batter on-base, and had the winning run at the plate with no outs.  Shuff got the next batter to fly-out to Simons in left, then worked a strikeout.  The game ended on a diving play at shortstop by Castruita to secure the 5-4 victory for Missouri Valley.

Castruita led with three hits and two RBI's, while Simons totaled one hit, two runs scored and one RBI.  Vela had one hit, one run and two RBI's, and Cashin added one hit and one run.  Shuff pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief, giving up six hits with no runs and two strikeouts.

Missouri Valley improved to 19-26 on the season, while Baker fell to 32-13.  The Vikings advanced into the winner's bracket of the Heart Postseason Tournament, and earned the program's first postseason victory since winning the conference tournament back in 2009.

Next up is a winner's bracket game against No. 3 seed Benedictine (Kan.), Saturday at 9:30 a.m., in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  The Vikings split the regular season doubleheader with the Ravens at home, back on April 13, dropping the first game, 4-1, but earning a 1-0 win in the second game.

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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.