Softball Closes Games in Branson With Split Wednesday

Branson, Mo., (March 11, 2026)- The Missouri Valley College softball team finished play in Branson, Mo., with a pair of games, Wednesday.  The Vikings opened the day with a 16-7 win over Harris-Stowe (Mo.), followed by a close loss to Evangel (Mo.), 6-5.

Harris-Stowe went in front at the start of the first game, scoring two runs in the top of the first inning.  Missouri Valley followed with a rally in the bottom half, as Senior Centerfielder Jesykah Foster (Garden City, Kan.) and Sophomore Second Baseman Allison Loucas (Twin Lakes, Wisc.) both walked to start the at-bat, and Senior Shortstop Aniah Castruita (South El Monte, Calif.) brought home Foster on a single.  Senior First Baseman Makayla Casjens (Galt, Calif.) followed with a home run, while the rally ended on a triple from Sophomore Third Baseman Keira Carvalho (Vista, Calif.) that brought home Junior Catcher Camryn Dilla (West Des Moines, Iowa), and MVC moved ahead, 5-2.  Freshman Pitcher Sienna Saggiani  (Palos Verdes, Calif.) struck out one in the top of the second inning, and stranded one base runner.  The top of the third featured Harris-Stowe loading the bases with one out.  Saggiani got out of the jam, ending the inning with a strikeout and leaving three runners on-base.  

Missouri Valley added to their lead in the bottom of the third, which started on a double from Casjens and a single by Sophomore Designated Player Jordan Pasbrig (Moberly, Mo.).  Senior Leftfielder Taya Brickner (Fort Collins, Colo.) brought home Casjens on a sac-fly, and Carvalho scored Freshman Pinch Runner Alex Whaley (Greenville, Fla.) with a single.  The Vikings continued to bring home runs as a Foster single scored Dilla, while a Loucas single allowed Senior Rightfielder Ella Dillon (Sumner, Wash.)  and Carvalho to reach home safely.  The rally continued on run scoring singles by Castruita and Casjens, and a sac-fly from Whaley allowed Castruita to score and make it a 13-2 advantage.  After a scoreless top of the fourth, MVC added to its lead in the bottom half.  Loucas brought home a pair of runs on a single, and a grounder by Castruita scored Foster.  Harris-Stowe produced from the plate in the top of the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits, but Missouri Valley held off the late comeback attempt, and ended the game with a 16-7 win.

Casjens had four hits, four RBIs and two runs scored.  Carvalho added three hits, two RBIs and two runs, while Loucas totaled two hits, four RBIs and two runs.  Castruita had two hits, three RBIs and two runs, while Foster finished with two hits, one RBI and three runs.  Dilla  and Dillon both added two hits and two runs scored.  Saggiani picked up the win, going 4.1 innings with four strikeouts.

The second game of the day, against Evangel, began with Junior Pitcher Chloe Shuff (Cypress, Calif.) taking down EU in order in the bottom of the first inning, striking out one batter.  Shuff then worked around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning, stranding all three runners on-base to help keep the game scoreless.  The Valor broke through in the bottom of the third, stringing together three hits, to go with two MVC errors, to produce a 4-0 lead.  Missouri Valley answered in the top of the fourth, as Freshman First Baseman Gabriella White (Pittsburg, Kan.) belted out a two-run, two-out, homer that cut the team's deficit down to 4-2.  Shuff faced the minimum in the bottom half of the inning, then took down Evangel in order in the bottom of the fifth.  The Vikings were unable to cut down the gap through the sixth inning, and EU threatened in the bottom half.  The Valor put two runners on-base, but both were stranded as Shuff induced an inning-ending ground out.

The top of the seventh featured a two-out rally for Missouri Valley.  Loucas doubled to bring home both Dilla and Brickner to tie the score.  Freshman Shortstop Breana Morgan (Moberly, Mo.) broke the tie with a double to score Loucas, and send MVC on top, 5-4.  The Vikings eventually loaded the bases later in the at-bat, but all three runners were left stranded, sending the game into the bottom of the seventh.  Evangel opened its at-bat with a leadoff triple, then followed with a walk-off, two-run homer to hand Missouri Valley a 6-5 defeat.

White had two hits, two RBIs and one run, while Brickner added two hits and one run.  Loucas totaled one hit, two RBIs and one run, while both Dilla and Pasbrig had one hit and one run apiece.  Morgan finished with one hit and one RBI.  Shuff went six innings, giving up two earned runs with two strikeouts.

Missouri Valley moves to 2-14 on the season following Wednesday's games.

Up next, the Viking softball team will open play in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with a doubleheader at Benedictine (Kan.), Friday beginning at 1 p.m., in Atchison, Kan.  The games were originally scheduled for Sunday, but moved up due to projected weather issues.

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.