Bolivar, Mo. – The Lady Bearcats' softball team battled with the #9 University of Indianapolis (UIndy) Greyhounds on Saturday, dropping both games of their doubleheader. Southwest Baptist University (SBU) now has a 14-20 overall record this season and 3-7 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) record.
Game 1: SBU 0-13 UIndy
The Bearcats were never able to get much going in the first game of the day, falling 0-13 against the Greyhounds after just five innings.
Senior
Shalie Wooden started in the circle for the Bearcats and threw SBU's first 83 pitches. Wooden pitched to UIndy's slew of left-handed batters by attacking the outside of the plate but was unable to get many calls, leading to her eight walks and the team's total 13 walks throughout the game.
One bright spot for the team in purple was sophomore
Keely Elsea, who went a perfect 2-2 at the plate with a single, double, and a walk. Sophomore
Jacie Frencken and sophomore
Abby Leer were responsible for SBU's other two hits in the game.
Game 2: SBU 3-7 UIndy
The Bearcats started strong in the second game of the day, scoring in the first inning after a defensive error with freshman
Ashley Gruben at the plate brought in senior
Graccee Brockman. SBU stretched their lead to three in the third inning when a
Joscelyn Bennett triple brought in runs from Gruben and sophomore
Hallie McMillian. However, a strong top of the fourth from the Greyhounds saw the Bearcats concede seven runs, giving the Greyhounds a 3-7 lead which they would hold for the remainder of the game.
Freshman
Cambri Van Loo was the starting pitcher for the game, and she pitched three solid shutout innings before being taken out in the fourth inning. Leer entered as Van Loo's relief pitcher and put in an impressive performance herself, only allowing one hit and no walks or runs through 3.2 innings pitched.
Elsea rounded out her perfect day at the plate, going 3-3 and adding a walk to boost her season OPS to 1.382 (1st in GLVC). Brockman, Frencken, Bennett, and senior
Taylor Howard were responsible for the other four hits by the Lady Bearcats in the game.
Looking Forward
SBU will return to action with another home doubleheader on Sunday, March 29. The games will see the Bearcats take on the Flyers of Lewis University. The first pitch is set to be thrown at 12:00 p.m. with the second game to start shortly after the conclusion of the first.
