After falling on a walk off for the sixth time this season with a 5-4 loss in game one, the William Jewell softball team bounced back to take the nightcap 4-2 over Emporia State in non-conference action on Tuesday evening. The split takes the Cardinals to 17-19 overall, while maintaining their 8-10 Great Lakes Valley Conference mark. The Hornets move to 19-22.
Freshman
Maddie Greenstreet led the come back performance in the game two with a double, triple, two RBI, and a run scored. Senior
Shelby McGraw struggled through some control issues, walking four batters, but limited the damage by allowing just five total hits.
In the nightcap, the Cards jumped out on top in the third inning with three runs. After back-to-back singles from
Anna Biondo and
Megan Barnes,
Madi Giles hit a sacrifice fly to break the seal and put Jewell on top. Greenstreet followed up with a triple and then scored on a single from
Brooke Bernard.
Emporia pulled within one at 3-2 scoring two runs on three hits and an error in the bottom of the fourth. Greenstreet ensured that Jewell would walk away with a split after adding an insurance run in the top of the seventh as she doubled to center scoring Barnes to give Jewell the final margin of 4-2.
In the opener the Hornets jumped out with a run in the first inning before an error in the third allowed the Cardinals to tie the game at one. Jewell scored again in the fifth on another error to take a 2-1 lead. The Hornets tied things up at two in bottom of the frame on a single by Caitlin Van Vleck.
The seventh inning would come and go with the score still knotted at two forcing extra frames. With the international tie breaker rule in effect, Greenstreet was placed on second base and immediately scored on a double from Bernard.
Morgan Olson then singled to left center allowing Bernard to touch the plate to give Jewell a two run lead.
Two consecutive errors to open the bottom of the eighth by the Cardinals put two in scoring position with no outs for Emporia State who took advantage. A walk loaded the bases for Jacie Stephens who lined a single to right center scoring two and giving the Hornets the walk off 5-4 win.
The Cardinals were limited to just five hits, led by Barnes with two. Barnes finished the day overall with three hits and four runs from the nine hole. Biondo got the game one start in the circle, going 7.1 innings, allowing 11 hits, and one walk, while striking out four. Only two of the five runs allowed were earned.
The Cardinals, who have now won six of their past eight games, return home this weekend for a tough GLVC test. Quincy comes to the Spratt Sports Complexton Saturday, followed by a matchup with Truman State on Sunday. Both double-headers begin at noon and will be broadcasted at jewellcardinals.com/watch.
