Softball Splits Two Saturday Games at Columbia Invitational

Columbia, Mo., (March 16, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College softball finished play at the Columbia (Mo.) Invitational, played at the Mizzou Softball Complex, with a pair of games, Saturday.  The Vikings fell in the opener to Morningside (Iowa), 7-1.  Missouri Valley bounced back to defeat Columbia, 4-1.

Morningside got out early, using two hits and one MVC error to move in front, 1-0, in the top of the first inning.  Sophomore First Baseman Olivia Bettencourt (Murrieta, Calif.) doubled and Freshman Catcher Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) singled, both with two outs, but the pair were left stranded to end the bottom of the first.  Morningside rallied in the second inning, scoring five runs on four hits to push the advantage out to 6-0.  Junior Pitcher Abby Kinzler (Blue Springs, Mo.) kept MC scoreless in the third, striking out one batter, then faced the minimum in the top of the fourth.  The Vikings tried to rally in the bottom half of the fourth, as Junior Third Baseman Brianna Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) singled, followed by a double from Senior Rightfielder Chrisha Gray (Modesto, Calif.).  Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) walked to load the bases, but all three were left stranded to end the at-bat.  After a pop-out and strikeout to start the top of the fifth, Morningside strung together two hits to produce one run and make it a 7-0 score.  Missouri Valley got that run back in the bottom half, as Junior Second Baseman Avery Gifford (Kansas City, Mo.) singled to leadoff and came home on a Brianna Vela single to cut the deficit to 7-1.  Kinzler kept Morningside from extending its lead in the final two innings, but MVC could not mount a late rally and fell by a final score of 7-1.

Brianna Vela led with two hits and one RBI, while Bettencourt added two hits.  Gifford had one hit and one run scored.  Kinzler pitched 5.2 innings in relief and gave up six hits with three earned runs and three strikeouts.

The Columbia game started with a leadoff double to open the top of the first inning by Caitlyn Vela, but she was left stranded.  Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands) followed by striking out the side in the bottom of the first.  Horsten then worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the second inning to strike out a pair of batters and leave the runner stranded.  Missouri Valley rallied in the third, which started on a single from Leftifielder Haley Simons.  Gifford brought Simons home with a double, and Bettencourt scored Gifford with another double to put the team in front, 2-0.  The Cougars got one of those runs back in the bottom half, making it a 2-1 score.

Horsten came back and struck out two more batters, and faced the minimum in the bottom of the fourth.  The Vikings added to their lead in the fifth, doing most of their damage with two outs.  Simons scored the first run on a CC error, then Brianna Vela singled to bring home Bettencourt and make it a 4-1 advantage.  Columbia threatened in the bottom half of the inning, leading the bases, but Horsten got out of the jam with an inning-ending strikeout.  The Cougars again tried to rally in the sixth, putting two runners on-base, but the pair were left stranded.  Missouri Valley was unable to increase its lead in the top of the seventh, and Horsten finished out a complete-game with one strikeout in the seventh to secure the 4-1 victory.

Bettencourt led with two hits, one run and one RBI, while Simons had two hits and two runs scored.  Gifford added one hit, one run and one RBI, while Brianna Vela had one hit and one RBI.  Horsten pitched a complete game, giving up six hits with one earned run and 10 strikeouts.

Missouri Valley moves to 5-13 on the season.

Up next, the Viking softball team goes to Fulton, Mo., for a non-conference doubleheader with William Woods (Mo.), Sunday at 2 p.m.

Morningside Box Score-Click Here

Columbia 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.