HEART OF AMERICA SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT HOMEPAGE
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – On a day in which there were three major upsets, including the No. 1 seed falling once and the No. 2-seed being knocked out of the tourney, the No. 5-seed and six-time defending Heart of American Athletic Conference champion Central Methodist University Eagles fell twice and were eliminated from the 2017 Heart of America Athletic Conference Postseason Softball Tournament Thursday at Heritage Park. The Eagles dropped their opener to No. 4 Avila, 8-3, and then fell to No. 1 Grand View, 5-3.
The two losses ends the season for Central Methodist, as the Eagles finished with a 26-22 record. Avila won two games on the day, including a 9-1 win over No. 8 Culver-Stockton College, to improve to 33-21. Grand View was shocked in its opener against Culver-Stockton, but stayed alive with the win over CMU and moves on with a 40-12 record.
Other upsets during the second day of the tournament included No. 7 Baker University shutting out No. 2 Clark University, 1-0, and No. 6 MidAmerica Nazarene University knocking Clarke out of the tourney with a 7-6 victory.
The tournament field, now narrowed from the original 10 down to six teams, will continue with the fourth round on Friday and will finish on Saturday.
#4 AVILA 8, #5 CENTRAL METHODIST 3
A seven-run first inning by Avila University created a hole too deep for 5th-seeded Central Methodist to dig its way out of in the Eagles' tournament opener, as CMU dropped an 8-3 decision to #4 Avila.
Both squads finished the game with eight hits, but Avila made its connections at the plate early on count. Central Methodist answered with a run in the third, fourth and seventh frames, but it wasn't enough.
Hannah Steeby (FR/St. Joseph, Mo.) connected with a solo shot in the third inning, finishing the game 1-for-3, with a walk, to help CMU. Skyler Hime (SO/Raymore, Mo.) produced a pair of hits, going 2-for-4 at the dish and Hannah Blackmon (SR/Beaumont, Texas) doubled in three at-bats, walked and scored a run. Meredith Adam (FR/Foristell, Mo.) (1-for-1, RBI), Sydnie Harmon (SO/Raymore, Mo.) (1-for-3, RBI, BB), Addy Reardon (SO/Boonville, Mo.) (1-for-3, R, BB) and Taylor Patton (SO/Columbia, Mo.) (1-for-3) also added singles.
Samantha Dexter's three-run home run in the opening frame led the Avila attack, as she finished the game 2-for-3, stole a base and scored a run. Abby King also hit a home run in the first inning, finishing 1-for-3, with a pair of RBIs.
Erin Enke (JR/Martinez, Calif.) (11-9) started the contest in the circle for Central Methodist and struggled, taking the loss. In 2/3-inning she gave up six runs on four hits, with a pair of walks. Ashley Litton (SR/Lee's Summit, Mo.) worked the final 5.1 innings, allowing one earned run (2 total) on four hits, with five strikeouts and only one walk.
Kayleigh Behymer (18-9) was the winning hurler for Avila. She pitched six innings, giving up two runs on six hits, with a pair of strikeouts and four walks.
#1 GRAND VIEW 5, #5 CENTRAL METHODIST 3
The Eagles battled top-seeded Grand View from start to finish, but couldn't generate enough hits to top the Vikings in this elimination game. Grand View finished the game with seven doubles, while CMU couldn't record an extra-base hit.
Blackmon produced a pair of singles and drove in a run in four at-bats to lead the Eagles. Patton also had multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3, with a run batted in. Steeby scored a pair of runs and drew two walks and Reardon (1-for-3, BB), Lilly (1-for-4) and Jenkins (1-for-4, RBI) each singled.
Stanzy Snyder was a perfect 4-for-4 to lead the Vikings. She produced three doubles, drove in a pair of runs and scored two more. Kate Crow also had a strong night at the plate, finishing 2-for-3, with a walk and a pair of runs driven in.
Senior Alexis Kohrs (SR/Tilden, Ill.) (10-10) went the distance in the circle for Central Methodist and took the loss. In six innings she gave up five runs on 11 hits, with five strikeouts and three walks. Claudia Farrell (23-5) was the winning pitcher for the Vikings. In seven innings she surrendered three runs on seven hits, with five strikeouts and five walks.
The Eagles grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Jenkins singled to leftfield to drive in Steeby. But the Vikings tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the frame and grabbed a 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
Central Methodist's Crystal Flagg (JR/Erie, Pa.), who was pinch running for Lilly, plated in the top of the sixth when Patton connected with a single, to trim the GVU lead to 3-2. But the Vikings added two runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to secure the win.
HEART OF AMERICA ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
2017 POSTSEASON SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
at Bill McKinney Heritage Park, St. Joseph, Mo.
PLAY-IN ROUND
Wednesday, May 3
#9 Culver-Stockton College 8, #8 Missouri Valley College 3
#7 Baker University 7, #10 Benedictine College 0
SECOND ROUND
Thursday, May 4
GM 1: #8 Culver-Stockton College 2, #1 Grand View University 1
GM 2: #4 Avila University 8, #5 Central Methodist University 3
GM 3: #7 Baker University 1, #2 Clarke University 0
GM 4: #3 Evangel University 5, #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University 1
GM 5: #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University 7, #2 Clarke University 6
GM 6: #1 Grand View University 5, #5 Central Methodist University 3
GM 7: #4 Avila University 9, #8 Culver-Stockton College 1
GM 8: #3 Evangel University 5, #7 Baker University 0
THIRD ROUND
Friday, May 5
GM 9: #8 Culver-Stockton College (24-25) vs. #6 MidAmerica Nazarene University (28-20), 12:30 p.m.
GM 10: #7 Baker University (27-25) vs. #1 Grand View University (40-12), 12 p.m.
GM 11: #4 Avila University (33-21) vs. #3 Evangel University (30-20), 3 p.m.
GM 12: Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10, 5:30 p.m.
CMU Softball Contact: John Krueger
Phone: 936-332-9332 | jkrueger@centralmethodist.edu
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Website: www.CMUEagles.com
