Cedar Rapids, Iowa - The No. 1 seeded Central Methodist softball team split day three of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Softball Touarnent Saturday afternoon in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
The Eagles began the day with a 4-0 loss to No. 3 seeded Mount Mercy. The loss snaps a 28-game winning streak for Central, the longest streak in the last 15 years of the program.
Against the Mustangs, two miscues by the Central defense put runners on the corners with one out in the first. A sac bunt in the infield plated one run, following an RBI-single to left field to give Mount Mercy a 2-0 lead.
The Mustangs pushed their lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning when a bunt to the infield and another miscue by CMU's defense scored two more runners. Central was unable to respond with any runs of their own, as Mount Mercy went on to earn a 4-0 shut out.
The Eagles finished the afternoon with five hits, led by freshman second basemen Daly Garland who recorded two hits. Mikayla Pennell collected the only extra base hit for CMU, a double in the bottom of the second inning.
Keighlan Cronin was handed only her second loss of the season, as the senior tossed a complete game. Cronin gave up four runs, with two being earned, and two walks. She also struckout four batters, putting her career strikeout total to 601.
Central responded in the elimination game against Evangel, coming away with a 6-0 shut out. Both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning, when Mikayla Pennell hit a two-RBI double to left center to score both Kelena Oots and Madison White.
Leading 2-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Pennell padded CMU's lead with a three-run home run to left field. Katelyn Kiser would then reach on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded to score the sixth and final run of the game for the Eagles.
Heart Freshman of the Year Mykala Johnico improved her overall record to 15-0, tossing a complete game shutout with only one hit given up. She also struck out 13 batters, her second highest total this season.
Pennell led the Eagle bats, batting .500 with a double, home run, five RBI and a run scored. White batted a perfect three-for-three with a double and a walk. Micaela Harcrow collected two hits from the three spot and also drew a walk.
Central will face host school Mount Mercy in the Heart Championship series Sunday, May 8 at 12:00 p.m. CMU will need to win two games to claim the Heart tournament title.
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