Atchison, Kan. - The No. 3 Central Methodist Softball team completed a perfect regular season in the Heart of America Athletic Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Benedictine College on Saturday in Atchison, Kansas.
CMU defeated the Ravens by scores of 8-2 and 2-1. The Eagles finish the regular season with a 43-3 overall record and a perfect 24-0 record in the Heart of America. It marks the first perfect regular season for the Eagles in conference play since the 2015 season.
In addition, the Eagles have pushed their win streak to 26 games, the second longest winning streak in the last 15 years in program history.
The Eagles offense was stifled in the first five innings of play in game one, as Benedictine held a 2-0 lead entering the top of the sixth.
Senior infielder Madison White got the scoring started with a two-run home run to tie the game at 2-2. In the seventh, Central's offense exploded for six runs on three hits in addition to three Benedictine errors.
Lauren Hill started the inning with a solo home run, putting Central out in front 3-2. CMU reached base in their next two plate appearances before Benedictine recorded a strikeout out to put one out on the board.
A walk from Kaysie Jolley loaded the bases followed by a single from Palumbo. On the same play, the Eagles' Emily Sheffield and Makayla Albert scored on an error by the left fielder.
The next three batters would reach base via a hit by pitch from White and back-to-back bases loaded walks from Joely Crider and Madison Roberts.
The final run of the inning came on an error by the Benedictine catcher to score Roberts.
Jordyn Ball improved her unblemished record to 21-0 in the circle. She allowed just two earned runs on four hits and a walk.
Game two was a pitcher's duel, with Central jumping out in front with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning.
Palumbo doubled to score both Jolley and Oots, while ultimately advancing to third on an error by the catcher. Benedictine eventually broke through in the fifth on an RBI single.
However, Haile Farris was on lockdown in the circle, allowing just one earned run on seven hits. The senior also struck out six batters through seven complete innings of work en route to her 16th win of the year.
Central will turn its attention to the postseason beginning with the Heart of America Conference Tournament, set to begin Thursday, May 2 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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