Marshall, Mo. The 21^st ranked Central Methodist University softball team traveled to Marshall, Missouri on Thursday to face the Missouri Valley College Vikings in a game that was originally scheduled for April 19^th. CMU swept the doubleheader from the Vikings by finals of 3-0 and 7-1 to clinch at least a share of the Heart of America Athletic Conference regular season title. This is the sixth straight conference title for the Eagles, and the win earns CMU an automatic bid to the NAIA Softball World Series Opening Round, which begins on May 16^th.
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With the victories Thursday, #21 Central Methodist University moves to 36-14 overall and 17-3 in The Heart. With the losses, Missouri Valley College falls to 11-26 overall and 7-13 in The Heart.
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Game one featured a pitcher's duel that saw the two teams combined for just nine hits. Senior Lauren Geringer (O'Fallon, Mo.) provided all of the offense for the Eagles in game one. Geringer finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two homeruns, three RBI's and two runs scored. She would also add two more homeruns in game two, which put Geringer all alone in third place in NAIA history with 59 career homeruns.
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Eagles' starting pitcher Erin Enke (Martinez, Calif.) earned the game one win (17-5), going all seven innings, while allowing just three hits, striking out nine and walking just one batter. Enke lowered her ERA in the win to 2.62 for the season.
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In game two, the Eagles offense struck for seven runs on nine hits, while holding the Vikings to one run on one hit. Central began game two right where they left off in game one; with another Lauren Geringer homerun. The homer scored Skyler Hime (Raymore, Mo.) and Jessie Wilmes (Flint Hill, Mo.); whom both singled to begin the inning, to give CMU the early 3-0 lead.
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The Eagles would tack on two more runs in the top of the third inning, when Hannah Blackmon (Beaumont, Tex.) doubled in Jessie Wilmes, and Alyssa Lilly (Wentzville, Mo.) singled in Lauren Geringer.
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Lauren Geringer would cap off the scoring for Central Methodist in the top of the seventh inning, when she hit her fourth homerun on the day over the center field wall, to score Jessie Wilmes. The Eagles would go on to win game two 7-1.
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Haley Kinnison (Lee's Summit, Mo.) went the distance in game two in the circle for CMU, earning the win (14-5); while allowing one unearned run on one hit with six strikeouts and one walk.
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Central Methodist closes out the regular season tomorrow (Friday) at Peru State College, with a doubleheader beginning at 2pm. The games were originally scheduled for Saturday, but were moved up a day due to incoming inclement weather.
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For more information about Central Methodist University athletics, visit�http://www.cmueagles.com. Follow CMU athletics on Facebook at�www.facebook.com/cmathletics�and on Twitter�twitter.com/cmueagles. � � � �