Softball Plays Saturday Road Doubleheader at Benedictine

Atchison, Kan., (April 19, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College softball team traveled to Atchison, Kan., for a Saturday Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader against Benedictine (Kan.).  The Vikings went into a ninth inning, but fell, 4-3, followed by a 4-0 defeat in game two.

Game one started with Missouri Valley threatening in the top of the first inning, as  Senior Rightfielder Audrey Short (St. Joseph, Ill.) singled and Junior First Baseman Olivia Bettencourt (Murrieta, Calif.) walked, but the pair were left stranded.  Benedictine put their leadoff batter on base with a single, but Sophomore Pitcher Chole Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) induced a fly-out and a pair of groundouts to keep the game tied in the second inning, 0-0.  Missouri Valley was taken down in order in the third, and Shuff faced the minimum in the bottom half of the inning to keep the game scoreless.  The Vikings were unable to create from the plate in the fourth, and the Ravens eventually went in front in the bottom of the inning, using two hits to produce two runs, 2-0.  After a scoreless inning for MVC, Benedictine added one more run in the fifth extending their lead, 3-0.  Missouri Valley answered back in the top of the sixth, as both Freshman Second Baseman Allison Loucas (Twin Lakes, Wisc.) and Bettencourt singled, and Sophomore Catcher Makayla Casjens (Galt, Calif.) brought two runners home on a triple to close the gap down to 3-2.  Shuff took down the Ravens in order in the sixth and seventh inning, inducing four fly-outs.  The Vikings eventually tied the game in the top of the seventh, Junior Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.) walked and Short reached first on an BC error.  With two-outs Castruita reached home safely as Bettencourt also reached first on another error by the Ravens, 3-3, sending the game into an eighth inning.  Both teams were unable to produce runs in the eighth inning, and in the top of the ninth, Missouri Valley threatened, as both Castruita and Loucas walked, but the two were left stranded, and Benedictine used two hits to score one run, and give the Vikings a 4-3 defeat. 

Casjens finished with one hit and two RBIs. Loucas followed with one hit and one scored run, while Short had two hits, and Junior Pinch Runner Jena Emerson (Live Oak, Calif.) added one run. Shuff pitched 8.0 innings, giving up seven hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts.

Game two started with Benedictine going in front early, using two hits to score two runs in the bottom of the first inning, 2-0.  Missouri Valley put a runner on base in the top of the second, as Casjens singled but was left stranded.  The Ravens extended their lead in the third inning, as they produced one run on two hits and an MVC error, 3-0.  The Vikings were taken down in order in the fourth, and Benedictine used three hits to add one more run in the bottom half of the inning to hold a 4-0 advantage.  After a scoreless fifth and sixth inning for both teams, Missouri Valley tried to rally late in the top of the seventh, as both Bettencourt and Sophomore Third Baseman Quinlynn Keller (Galt, Calif.) singled, with two runners on base they were unable to reach home safely, and MVC fell by a final score of 4-0.

 Junior Centerfielder Jesykah Foster (Garden City, Kan.) finished with two hits, and Bettencourt, Casjens and Keller had one hit each.  Freshman Pitcher Andreina Buonafina went 2.1 innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs.

Up next, the Vikings softball team will host Culver-Stockton (Mo.) in a Heart of America Athletic Conference doubleheader, Friday, starting at 1 p.m., at Lyon Bowl.

Game 1 Box Score - Click Here

Game 2 Box Score - Click Here

About Missouri Valley College

Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.