Des Moines, Iowa - The No. 7 Central Methodist softball team fell in two games to (RV) Grand View University by scores of 4-3, and 6-2 Friday afternoon in Des Moines, Iowa.

With the pair of losses, Central drops to 26-3 and 12-2 in conference play, while the Vikings improve to 18-8 and 12-2 in the Heart. It marks the first pair of losses in Heart play this season for the Eagles.

Grand View jumped out in front in the first inning with a run to take a 1-0 lead. CMU remained scoreless through the next four innings before scoring three runs in the top of the fifth. Senior third basemen Jordan Jenkins led off the fifth with a solo home run followed by a triple from Kelena Oots.

Morgan Willis followed with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Oots, and Hannah Criswell capped the inning with a solo home run to centerfield, giving CMU a 3-1 lead.

However, the Vikings responded with two runs in the next half inning to tie the game at 3-3. The score remained even through the next 2 1/2 innings, eventually going into extras. Grand View ultimately took game one on a sacrifice fly in the eighth to earn the 4-3 win.

Keighlan Cronin got the start in the circle, pitching all 7.2 innings, and giving up four runs on seven hits while recording a new career-high 14 strikeouts.

In the game two loss, Kelli Gorman hit a two-run home run to drive in Central's two runs across the plate. She finished the day with one hit, while Willis led the offense batting two-for-three with a run scored.

Central continues its road trip with a visit to William Penn Saturday, April 3 in Oskaloosa, Iowa. First pitch for game one is set for 1:00 p.m.

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