Fayette, Mo. - On a historic afternoon, the No. 9 Central Methodist softball team completed its 10th straight doubleheader sweep, this time over Benedictine College Saturday afternoon at Cox Softball Complex.
The Eagles improve their overall record to 29-4 including a 21-1 mark in conference play. The Ravens fall to 24-22 and 14-18 in the Heart.
Central has now won 20 consecutive games, marking the second longest streak in the last eight years. Previously, CMU had won 27 straight games from March 23 to April 30, 2015.
With her second strikeout in game one, senior ace Keighlan Cronin set a new program record for career strikeouts with 560. The previous record of 559 was held by Aubrey Utley, who pitched for the Eagles from 2011-14.
Benedictine scored twice in the first inning on a two-run home run to left field. Central answered back with two runs in the bottom half of the frame via a two-run blast from sophomore short stop Madison White, evening the game at 2-2.
A Kaylee Parker single in the third inning put Central ahead 3-2, and the Eagles added to their lead in the fourth on an RBI fielder's choice from Kelli Gorman and an RBI-single from Mikayla Pennell.
Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, a two-run home from Benedictine cut Central's lead to 5-4. However, Cronin retired three of the final four batters in the seventh to preserve the one run victory.
White led the Central bats, batting two-for-two with two walks, a single and a home run, her 12th of the season.
Micaela Harcrow, Gorman, and Madison Love all picked up two hits apiece while Gorman also recorded a stolen base in the sixth inning.
Cronin pushed her overall record to 14-1, tossing a complete game and giving up four earned runs on seven hits with nine strikeouts.
The Eagles then held off Benedictine in the finale by a final of 7-6. BC scored four runs on four hits and an error by the CMU defense in the seventh inning. However, Cronin came in relief in the middle of the frame and held off one final Raven's offensive surge to secure the victory.
Freshman second baseman Daly Garland recorded her first career home run in the second inning, while White blasted her second homer of the day in the third. Harcrow picked up a two-RBI single center field. Pennell was perfect at the plate, batting three-for-three with an RBI-single and a run scored.
Freshman pitcher Mykala Johnico improved her record to 11-0, throwing six innings in the circle. The native of Topeka, Kan. gave up three earned runs with six strikeouts.
Abbie Neally saw action in the seventh before Cronin came in to close the game out to earn her second save of the year.
The Eagles remain at home for a South Division showdown against Baker University Sunday, April 24 beginning at 1:00 p.m. Central split the doubleheader matchup with the Wildcats in Baldwin City back on March 13.
��, There's a new all-time career strikeouts leader for @CMUeaglesSBB! Congratulations to Keighlan Cronin who set a new program record with her 560th career K against Benedictine in game one! #TakeFlight�� pic.twitter.com/C2c4aEuIuG
— CMU Athletics (@cmueagles) April 23, 2022
#TakeFlight
