Softball Suffers Road Losses to No. 3 Central Methodist

Fayette, Mo., (April 23, 2024)- The Missouri Valley College softball team traveled to Fayette, Mo., for a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader with No. 3 Central Methodist (Mo.), Tuesday afternoon.  The Vikings tried to rally late in game one, but fell, 3-1.  Missouri Valley fell in game two, 4-1.

Game one started with both teams unable to create from the plate in the early innings.  Senior Pitcher Kim Horsten (Moergestel, The Netherlands) struck out a pair in the bottom of the second inning, limiting Central Methodist to only two baserunners through two innings of play.  After the Vikings were taken down in order in the top of the third, CMU scored its first run of the game after a walk, sac-bunt and a single to move in front, 1-0.  Missouri Valley threatened in the top of the fourth, as Sophomore Rightfielder Sophie De Rouin (Vienna, Austria) led off with a single.  A sac-bunt moved De Rouin to second base, but was eventually stranded on-base.  Horsten worked around a leadoff single in the bottom half of the inning, inducing a pair of fielder's choice grounders to get out of the inning.  Central Methodist added to its lead with a two-out rally in the bottom half of the fifth, using four hits to score two runs and make it a 3-0 lead.  After a scoreless sixth inning, including one strikeout for Horsten, MVC went into the seventh sitting in a three-run deficit.  Junior Centerfielder Caitlyn Vela (Kingsburg, Calif.) opened the at-bat with a single, and eventually came home on a two-out single from Freshman First Baseman Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.).  The Vikings had the tying run at the plate, but could not extend the game, and fell by a final score of 3-1.

Vela had one hit and one run scored, while Keller added one hit and one RBI.  De Rouin also finished with one hit.  Horsten pitched six innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts.

Central Methodist went in front early in the second game, using three hits to produce one run and take a 1-0 lead.  Keller was the first baserunner for Missouri Valley, reaching on a single in the top of the second inning, but was left stranded.  Freshman Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) followed by taking down CMU in order in the bottom half of the inning, keeping the game at a 1-0 score.  The Vikings got that run back in the third, as Sophomore Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.) led off with a double, and came home on a single from De Rouin to tie the teams at 1-1.  The Eagles rallied in the bottom of the third, using three hits to produce three runs and move back in front, 4-1.  Senior Pitcher Cherrelee Miles (Centurion, South Africa) got out of a two-one and one-out jam in the bottom of the fourth, striking out the final two batters to keep the runners stranded.  Sophomore Leftfielder Jena Emerson (Live Oak, Calif.) doubled with two outs in the fifth, and stole third base, but could not be driven home to cut into the deficit.  The teams were unable to produce any runs in the sixth inning, as Miles was helped on a double-play to end the bottom half of the inning, as a liner was caught by Emerson in leftfield, and MVC doubled-up a baserunner at first.  Facing its last at-bat, the Vikings were taken down in order in the top of the seventh inning and suffered a 4-1 loss.

De Rouin finished with one hit and one RBI, and Castruita had one hit and one run scored.  Miles pitched the final 2.2 innings in relief and gave up three hits with no earned runs and two strikeouts.

Missouri Valley falls to 17-23 overall and 11-9 in the Heart.  Central Methodist improves to 39-3 on the season and 20-0 in the conference.

Up next, the Viking softball team will play another road Heart doubleheader, going to Parkville, Mo., to take on Park (Mo.).  The games will be Wednesday, beginning at 2 p.m.  The doubleheader was moved up from Saturday due to expected weather.

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.