#MustangsWin! Softball Sweeps Williams Baptist on Senior Day!

Erik Holth, CBC Sports Information Director

            Conway, Ark. – Looking to begin their final 10 games of the season against American Midwest Conference on a high note, Central Baptist College softball hosted the Eagles of Williams Baptist University this afternoon at City of Colleges Park. CBC (19-15, 7-3 AMC) won in walk-off fashion twice, beating WBU (14-24, 2-10 AMC) 5-4 in nine innings in game one and 8-0 in a run-rule in game two.

            The walkoff win in game one was the second non-run-rule walkoff of the season and it came off the bat of Kirstie Blackwood, one of three seniors who was honored after the games, including Ashley Pletcher and Tobi Finley. Finley ended game two with a double to make it 8-0 and end the doubleheader early.

GAME ONE – CBC 5, WBU 4 (NINE INNINGS)

            Game one saw the Eagles strike quickly, scoring three in the first to take a 3-0 lead against starter Hannah Work. The deficit would drop to 3-1 when Savannah Sanford scored on an error by the catcher and neither team would score again until the fifth, when the Mustangs were finally able to take the lead, 4-3. Heather Hoffman would reach on a fielder's choice and on the same play, Victoria Lasker would score on an error to make it 3-2 before an RBI single by Madi Spears tied the game at three and a double by Blackwood gave CBC the lead. An RBI groundout by the Eagles tied the game at four until the ninth, when Blackwood, with one out, took the first pitch she saw over the center field fence to win the game with her sixth home run of the season. Work did not factor in the decision, as she allowed five hits and four runs (two earned) with two walks and a season-high six Ks. Ysabella Esquivel earned her third victory of the season in relief, throwing 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits and walking one with two strikeouts.

GAME TWO – CBC 8, WBU 0 (SIX INNINGS)

            CBC gave starter Averie Ayers all the run support she would need in the first inning, taking a 2-0 lead in the inning. Blackwood singled home the first run of the game and Sanford chased her home after that for the second run. Two more runs in the fourth made it 4-0 courtesy of doubles Spears and Blackwood. Ayers would help herself with an RBI double in the fifth to make it 5-0 and the Mustangs closed the game out in the sixth thanks to a single by Blackwood and the walkoff two-run double by Finley. Ayers had her best start of the season to date, allowing one hit and one walk with seven Ks in the complete game to earn win number eight.

UP NEXT

            CBC is off until Monday afternoon when they take on Missouri Baptist in an AMC doubleheader in St. Louis. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.