Softball Tops Crowley's Ridge in Tuesday Games in Branson

Branson, Mo., (March 10, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College softball team continued play in Branson, Mo., with two more games Tuesday.  The Vikings opened with a 7-5 win over Crowley's Ridge (Ark.), followed by a 7-0 defeat to Doane (Neb.).

The first game of the day began with Sophomore Pitcher Gabriella Branson (Petersburg, Ill.) working around a leadoff walk in the bottom of the first inning to strand the runner on-base, striking out one and keeping the game scoreless.  Missouri Valley followed with a productive top of the second inning.  Junior Catcher Camryn Dilla (West Des Moines, Iowa) doubled to start the at-bat, and came home on a double from Senior Leftfielder Taya Brickner (Fort Collins, Colo.).  Both Senior Rightfielder Ella Dillon (Sumner, Wash.) and Senior Centerfielder Jesykah Foster (Garden City, Kan.) reached on fielder's choice grounders, and Sophomore Second Baseman Allison Loucas (Twin Lakes, Wisc.) drove both runners home on a double to extend the MVC advantage to 3-0. Branson then faced the minimum in the bottom half of the inning to keep the Vikings in front.  The top of the third featured a single from Sophomore Designated Player Jordan Pasbrig (Moberly, Mo.), who came home one batter later on a double from Dilla to stretch the lead out to 4-0.  Crowley's Ridge responded with a rally in the bottom half of the third, batting through its lineup and producing four runs on three hits and one MVC error to tie the teams at 4-4.

The two teams went scoreless over the next stretch of play.  Branson struck out two batters in the bottom of the fourth, then worked around a two-out double in the bottom of the fifth to keep the contest at 4-4.  Missouri Valley came through with offense in the top of the sixth, which started on a double from Sophomore Third Baseman Keira Carvalho (Vista, Calif.).  Later in the inning, Foster hit into a groundout, which allowed Carvalho to score.  Loucas then singled to score Dillon, and the Vikings went in front by a 6-4 score.  Crowley's Ridge got one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth, but Branson finished the inning with one runner stranded, and kept MVC in front, 6-5.  Freshman Pinch Hitter Alex Whaley (Greenville, Ala.) started the top of the seventh with a single, and moved to third on a single from Dilla.  Brickner drove Whaley home with a grounder, and the advantage sat at 7-5 going into the bottom of the seventh inning.  Branson ended the game by working through the lineup in order to secure the team's first win of the season, 7-5.

Dilla finished with four hits, one run and one RBI, while Loucas had three hits and three RBIs.  Pasbrig totaled two hits and one run scored, and Brickner had one hit and two RBIs.  Branson went the complete game, giving up seven hits with four earned runs and three strikeouts.

In the second game of the day, Missouri Valley fell behind early, as Doane used two hits and one error to produce two runs and move in front, 2-0.  Junior Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) worked around a leadoff triple in the top of the second inning, inducing a double-play grounder to Loucas that ended the at-bat.  Shuff kept Doane scoreless over the next two innings, facing the minimum in the fourth.  Pasbrig came up with the first Viking hit in the game in the bottom of the fourth, but MVC could not cut into its lead.  Another scoreless fifth inning featured Shuff taking down Doane in order, while Brickner led off the bottom half of the inning with a single, but the Vikings left a runner on-base to still trail by two runs. Shuff struck out another batter in the top of the sixth, and MVC was unable to cut into its deficit going down in order in the bottom half.  Doane put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh, using five hits and one error to score five runs and extend its advantage.  Freshman First Baseman Gabriella White (Pittsburg, Kan.) doubled in the final at-bat for Missouri Valley, but the team fell by a final score of 7-0.

Pasbrig, White and Brickner each had one hit for the Vikings.  Shuff went 6.1 innings giving up seven hits and five earned runs.

Missouri Valley moves to 1-13 on the season after Tuesday's games.

Up next, the Viking softball team will play two more games in Branson, Wednesday.  The first game is against Harris-Stowe (Mo.) at 11:30 a.m., followed by a 4:30 p.m., game with Evangel (Mo.).

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.