MIDWAY, Ky. – Softball notched a pair of victories on the road Wednesday evening, sweeping a doubleheader from Midway. The Bears (13-10) edged out the Eagles (5-13) in the opening game, 2-1, before exploding offensively in a 12-2 run-rule shortened second game.
In the opening game, all of the scoring was done in the first inning and a half. Abbey Barrett worked a two-out walk in the top of the first with two outs to keep the inning alive. She then stole second base and was driven in on an RBI single from Hannah Dittoe. The Eagles scored in similar fashion in the bottom half of the first. A leadoff single and stolen base came around to score on a two-out RBI single to knot the score at 1-1 after one inning.
Holly Brabson led off the top of the second inning with a double to right-centerfield. Groundouts by Tara Duncan and Tara Prater would advance her each time and that second run would end up being the difference in the game.
Allie Chapman scattered nine hits over the course of her seven innings, but only allowed the one run in the first. She struck out five batters in the game to pick up her seventh win of the season.
Midway jumped out early in game two with four singles in the second inning that came around to score a pair of runs. Kirsti Yates reached on a strikeout wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout from Prater to make the score 2-1 in the fourth. Kelsey Jenkins and Barrett each doubled with one out in the top of the fifth. Barrett's double drove in Jenkins, while Barrett came around to score on an RBI single from Yates to make the score 3-2 in favor of Shawnee State.
Leading just 3-2 heading to the sixth, the Bears pounced for nine runs in their final at-bats. Duncan led off the inning with the first home run of her career. Heidi Hall and Hannah Foster each singled with one out, while a two-out two-run double from Barrett. Dittoe followed that up with a two-run home run to make the score 8-2.
The inning would continue with Yates being hit by pitch. A double from Holly Brabson put runners on second and third. Duncan singled home a run during the next at-bat while a run scored via an error following Prater's single. Hall then capped the scoring with a two-run double to make it 12-2 after the top of the sixth.
The Eagles would get a single in their final at-bats but could do no further damage, falling in six innings. Miranda Pauley picked up her sixth win of the season as she pitched the full six innings, allowing 10 hits and two runs as she went the distance.
The Bears' doubleheader scheduled for at home this Friday with the University of the Cumberlands has been moved to April 15. So instead, the Bears next games will be next Monday, March 31 at the University of the Cumberlands. That road doubleheader will get underway at 3 p.m.
