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All-Access: 3-peat in Overland Park

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Aubrey Utley became the Eagles' all-time strikeout leader Saturday, highlighting No. 14 Central Methodist's 9-4 victory over MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) in the Heart of America Athletic Conference Softball Championship Series title game at Blue Valley Recreation Complex. Saturday's win gives the Green and Black three-straight championships in the tournament and fifth overall (2005, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014), as they improves to 12-0 all-time at the facility.

Central Methodist (41-6), the top seed in the postseason this year and which defeats the second-seeded Pioneers in the title game in back-to-back campaigns, also equals its single-season school record win total from 2011 and 2012. Saturday's contest was a familiar site, as the two teams have met in the title game three out of the last four years.

After the two teams combined for 10 home runs in last season's title game, which tied�a NAIA single-game record, the Eagles did all the heavy lifting via the longball Saturday, as Michele Rupard led off the rematch with a bomb to right, her seventh of the season. The junior also scored three times and drew three walks, which puts her up to 38 this season, adding to her single-season school record. Rupard has 45 runs scored this season, third highest in a single season in school history.

The Eagles blew the game open in the next frame, scoring five runs. After a Jessica Wilmes RBI single that made the score 2-0, Lauren Geringer connected on a grand slam to dead center, her 11th dinger of the year, to push the margin to six. The bomb was Geringer's second grand slam and fourth home run in two career title games, as the sophomore tied a NAIA single-game record with three home runs in last year's win. She has 12 RBIs and 16 total bases in the last two title games against the Pioneers.

Utley's record-breaking strikeout came in the bottom of the fourth with one out against Jadalynn Cirillo. The strikeout was Utley's third of the game and 551st of her career, shattering Chelsea Fuemmeler's previous mark of 550 accomplished from 2008-10. The Trenton, Mo., native finished the contest with four strikeouts and went the distance for the win to improve to 24-1 this season, allowing four runs, one earned, on nine hits with a walk.



The record-breaker did not come before MidAmerica Nazarene (26-13) was able to jump on the scoreboard, as Hayley Gately led off the home half of the fourth with a triple and scored in the next at-bat on a ground out.

The Pioneers cut the deficit to 6-4 with three unearned runs in the fifth and were helped by two Eagle errors in the frame, all with two outs. Chelsey Streibich and Gately had RBI singles to cut the difference in half at 6-3. Streibich later scored on an error. MidAmerica Nazarene put the tying run on base, but Utley induced a Cirillo ground out to end the threat.

Central Methodist got the three runs back in the sixth, as a Wilmes hit with two outs found a patch of grass in left field past a diving Gately that rolled to the fence and turned into an inside the park three-run homer. Bri Kirkland and Rupard also scored on the play to push the Eagles' advantage back to five runs.�

Wilmes ended the day with three hits, four RBIs and two runs scored. Geringer tallied four RBIs and a run scored. Kirkland, Bri Boatwright and Lindie Adair each scored a run. Boatwright also walked once.

Alexis Pacheco tallied a team-high three hits in the loss, and three MidAmerica Nazarene batters each had two hits. Four Pioneers scored one run.

Katie Williams (2-2) took the loss in the circle, allowing six earned runs on five hits with two walks.

Central Methodist now awaits the unveiling of the brackets for the 34th annual NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. The selection show is set for Tuesday, May 6, at 7 p.m. CT on NAIA.org. Both the Eagles and Pioneers have clinched automatic berths into the Opening Round by finishing first and second, respectively, in the conference during the regular season for a second-straight year.
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