Softball Splits Tuesday Doubleheader in Branson

Branson, Mo., (March 11, 2025)-  The Missouri Valley College softball team continued play in Branson, Mo., with a doubleheader Tuesday afternoon.  The Vikings fell in the opener to Cottey (Mo.), 4-3, but followed with an extra-inning win over Ecclesia (Ark.), 4-3.

Play in the Cottey contest opened with both teams stranding one baserunner in the first inning, as Sophomore Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) worked around a leadoff single, ending the Comet at-bat with a strikeout.  Missouri Valley threatened in the top of the second inning, putting three runners on-base, but the threat ended without any runs, as the game stayed scoreless.  Shuff stranded another runner on-base in the bottom of the second, then took down Cottey in order in the third.  The Vikings got on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth, on a solo homer from Junior Third Baseman Kyleigh Villarreal (Fenton, Mo.).  The Comets answered in the bottom half of the inning, belting out a solo homer to tie the contest at 1-1.  Missouri Valley went back in front in the fifth, as Senior Leftfielder Audrey Short (St. Joseph, Ill.) led off with a single, then came home on a base-hit from Freshman Second Baseman Allison Loucas (Twin Lakes, Wisc.) to make it a 2-1 advantage.  Cottey was taken down in order again in the bottom of the fifth, and MVC increased its lead in the sixth.  Villarreal worked a two-out walk, then came home on a Junior Rightfielder Taya Brickner (Fort Collins, Colo.) triple, as the lead grew to 3-1.  Shuff again faced the minimum in the sixth inning to keep the Vikings ahead by two runs.  After a scoreless top of the seventh, the Comets rallied in their final turn at the plate, using four hits and one error to eventually bring home three runs and earn a walk-off win, defeating Missouri Valley 4-3.

Brickner led with three hits and one RBI, while Villarreal had one hit, two runs and one RBI.  Loucas added one hit and one RBI, while Short had one hit and one run.  Shuff went 6.2 innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs with one strikeout.

Game two featured Missouri Valley going in front early, as Freshman Second Baseman Hailey LeMunyon (Maysville, Mo.) opened the top of the first with a single, and came home on a double by Junior Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.).  Freshman First Baseman Addison Bartlett (Lawson, Mo.) followed with another double, which allowed Castruita to score, and the Vikings held a 2-0 lead.  Junior Pitcher Emily Greenfield (Sherwood Park, Alberta) got out of a two-on, one-out jam in the bottom half of the inning, to keep Ecclesia scoreless.  However, Ecclesia cut down its deficit in the bottom of the second inning, using two hits to produce one run and make it a 2-1 score.  The Vikings next threatened in the top of the fourth, as Brickner doubled and Junior Centerfielder Jesykah Foster (Garden City, Kan.) singled, both with two outs.  However, the pair were left stranded to end the at-bat.  Ecclesia followed with a pair of hits in the bottom of the fourth inning, which generated one run to tie the teams at 2-2.  Missouri Valley responded in the top of the fifth, as LeMunyon singled, then came home on a Loucas triple to put the team back in front, 3-2.  The lead was short-lived, as Ecclesia used back-to-back singles to bring home the tying run, and send the game into the sixth at 3-3.  After a scoreless top of the inning, Greenfield took down Ecclesia in order in the bottom of the sixth.  Both teams were unable to generate a run in the seventh, sending the game into an eighth inning.  Castruita started the top of the eighth at second base, and was moved to third on a sac-bunt from Junior First Baseman Olivia Bettencourt (Murrieta, Calif.).  Sophomore Pinch Hitter Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) followed with a single to score Castruita, and MVC moved in front.  Ecclesia put the go-ahead run on-base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, but Greenfield ended the game by inducing a groundout to hold on for the 4-3 victory.

LeMunyon finished with two hits and two runs scored, while Brickner added two hits.  Castruita had one hit, two runs and one RBI, and Loucas, Bartlett and Keller each had one hit and one RBI.  Greenfield pitched a complete-game, giving up nine hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts.

Missouri Valley moves to 4-12 on the season.

Up next, the Viking softball team will finish play in Branson, Mo., with a doubleheader against Mission (Mo.), Thursday beginning at 1 p.m.

Cottey Box Score-Click Here

Ecclesia 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.