Softball Falls to Columbia College in Home Doubleheader

Marshall, Mo., (Mar. 7, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College softball team hosted Columbia College (Mo.) Friday afternoon at Lyon Bowl in a non-conference doubleheader. The Vikings fell in the opener, 5-0, followed by an 8-4 defeat in game two.

The first game started with both teams failing to produce from the plate in the first inning. The Cougars went in front early in the game, using three hits to produce four runs to make it a 4-0 score in the top of the second. After a scoreless inning for the Vikings, Columbia followed with one more run on four hits and one MVC error to hold a 5-0 advantage. Missouri Valley put a runner on-base as Junior Leftfielder Taya Brickner (Fort Collins, Colo.) singled and then advanced to second, but was left stranded in the bottom of the third. Freshman Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) ended the top of the fourth striking out one batter and inducing a groundout to Freshman Third Baseman Allison Loucas (Twin Lakes, Wisc.). Chuff faced the minimum in the fifth inning but Missouri Valley was taken down in order and unable to produce any runs throughout the rest of the game and the team fell, 5-0.

Brickner finished with one hit. The loss went to Junior Pitcher Kyleigh Villarreal (Fenton, Mo.), who pitched 2.1 innings, giving up seven hits and five earned runs with one strikeout.

Game two opened with Columbia College going in front early, as they scored two runs on two hits in the first inning to make it a 2-0 score. Freshman Pitcher Hailey LeMunyon (Maysville, Mo.) singled to third base in the bottom of the first, but was unable to reach home safely. The Cougars extended their lead using four hits and five MVC errors to produce four runs in the top of the second inning, 6-0, and Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the bottom half. After both teams were held scoreless in the third inning, the Cougars were unable to produce in the top of the fourth as Freshman Pitcher Morgan Clubb (Oak Grove, Mo.) induced two fly-outs. The Vikings scored one run in the bottom of the fourth, as Senior Designated Player Brittney Slocum (Clovis, Calif.) reached first on a fielder's choice and then came home on a double from Junior Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.), 6-1. 

Columbia College produced one run on two hits in the top of the fifth inning to hold a 7-1 advantage, but Missouri Valley got that run back as Junior Third Baseman Kyleigh Villarreal (Fenton, Mo.) tripled to right field and then scored as Junior Pinch Hitter Bryn Grandon (Paola, Kan.) grounded out to second baseman, 7-2. After a scoreless sixth inning, the Cougars added one more run in the top of the seventh extending their lead, 8-2. The Vikings threatened to comeback in the bottom of the seventh with MVC loading the bases, as Freshman Pinch Hitter Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) reached first on an error, and Villareal and Junior Rightfielder Ella Dillon (Sumner, Wash.) both walked. Clubb followed with a single and Keller scored on Columbia's error, then another runner reached home safely as Junior Pinch Hitter Sarah De Leon (Los Angeles, Calif.) grounded out to first baseman. Missouri Valley tried to climb back late, but fell by a final score of 8-4.

Villarreal had two hits and two runs. Clubb and Castruita both finished with one hit and one RBI each, while De Leon and Grandon added one RBI each. The loss went to LeMunyon, who pitched 1.2 innings, giving up five hits and four earned runs.

The pair of losses drops Missouri Valley to 3-9 on the season, while Columbia (Mo.) improves to 4-6.

Up next, the Vikings softball team will travel to Branson, Mo., for two non-conference games, March 10. The first contest is against Ecclesia (Ark.) at 3 p.m., followed by a game with Minot State (N.D.) at 5 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.