Shawnee, Okla. - No. 8 Central Methodist Softball dropped a 10-7 decision to No. 1 Southern Oregon University before falling 8-7 to Mid-America Christian University at FireLake Ball Fields as part of the NAIASB Invitational in Shawnee, Oklahoma
The Eagles move to 6-2 on the season after the pair of tightly contested games.
Game 1: No. 1 Southern Oregon 10 - No. 8 Central Methodist 7
Central Methodist erased an early deficit and went toe-to-toe with the nation's top-ranked team before Southern Oregon used a three-run seventh inning to secure the win.
The Raiders struck first with two runs in the opening frame and added single runs in the second, third, and fourth innings to build a 5-1 advantage. The Eagles answered emphatically in the third.
Senior Joely Crider ignited the rally, and Maddie Holly delivered an RBI single down the left-field line. Brianna Craig followed with an RBI double before Emma King laced a two-run double to right-center, giving CMU a 5-4 lead.
After SOU evened the score in the fourth, Central regained control in the bottom half. Elizabeth Palumbo drove in two runs with a double to right-center, scoring Kaysie Jolley and Crider to make it 7-5.
Southern Oregon capitalized on key defensive miscues to tie the game in the fifth before breaking through in the seventh. SOU delivered an RBI single, followed by a two-run single to provide the final margin.
Crider paced the Eagles at the plate, finishing two-for-three with three runs scored and a stolen base. Palumbo went two-for-four with two RBI, while Holly added two hits and two RBI. King and Craig each doubled as part of CMU's 12-hit effort.
Karlie Barnum and Haley Cotter combined to limit the Raiders to just two earned runs despite 14 hits.
Game 2: Mid-America Christian 8 - No. 8 Central Methodist 7
In game two, Central Methodist jumped out early but could not withstand a six-run fifth inning from Mid-America Christian.
The Eagles plated three runs in the first inning. Holly doubled home a run before King drove in two with a single to right, putting CMU ahead 3-0.
Mid-America Christian responded with two runs in the second, but CMU added another in the fourth on a Palumbo sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 4-2.
The Evangels surged ahead in the fifth. A two-run triple and a string of RBI singles from three players pushed across six runs in the inning for an 8-4 advantage.
Central refused to fold. In the sixth, Holly delivered again, blasting a three-run triple to right-center to pull the Eagles within one at 8-7. CMU put the tying run on base in the seventh but was unable to complete the comeback.
Holly finished two-for-four with a double, a triple, and four RBI to lead the offense. Rachel Brandt recorded three hits and scored twice, while Palumbo scored two runs and drove in one. The Eagles drew six walks and swiped four bases in the contest.
Emma Ray started in the circle, tossing four innings with four strikeouts.
Up Next:
Central returns to action at the Top Gun Midwest College Classic, beginning with a matchup against Kansas Wesleyan Saturday, Feb. 28 at 10:00 a.m. in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
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