MIDWAY, Ky. -- Special programs always find different ways to win ballgames late in the season.
While the softball program at Shawnee State naturally had some adjustments to battle through early in the season as a part of replacing five starters from a 36-win team that won the program's first division championship of any kind in 14 years and adding a 10-player freshman class, it's clear that Kristen Bradshaw's group is hitting on the same type of magic that made 2024 special -- and is making 2025 a similar year in that regard as a result.
Down 1-0 after six innings of play in a thrilling pitching duel between Shawnee State senior stalwart Genavie Espinoza and Midway (Ky.)'s Athena Grimsley, a leadoff walk by Bianca Belo-Diaz to begin the seventh inning and a single by Emily Cheatham was followed by the pair wreaking havoc on the basepaths as the duo scored on two Midway fielding errors with two gone in the top of the seventh frame, leading the Bears to a 2-1 win in Game 1 while giving Espinoza a well-deserved win in the pitching column.
Shawnee State then mashed the gas pedal throughout Tuesday's Game 2 affairs -- as the Bears posted its largest run total since March 1, 2024 with a 19-run output on 19 hits in a five-inning mercy rule victory (19-2) that also included Jenna Christopher surpassing the 100-hit column for her career to conclude matters in a swift River States Conference doubleheader sweep of Midway Tuesday at William G. Clark Memorial Softball Field in Midway, Ky.
Game Summaries
Shawnee State, who moved to 22-12 overall and 17-7 in River States Conference play with Tuesday's rip of Midway (Ky.), now firmly sits in sole possession of second place in the River States Conference Standings and sits just three games back of RSC leader Rio Grande with eight conference games left for each program.
With Tuesday's victories, the Bears have now won eight out of their last nine contests and 16 of 19 overall -- sending Shawnee State screaming up the River States Conference leaderboard in the process.
The Bears hit .407 between the two contests, and in doing so, raised its team batting average to .334, which ranks 38th nationally. Shawnee State also didn't commit a single error in its 13 defensive chances in the second game despite holding a comfortable lead, as well.
Game 1
For much of Tuesday's opener, the contest proved to be a battle of wits between Genavie Espinoza and Midway's Athena Grimsley -- as Espinoza, who ultimately threw a complete game four-hitter while striking out three, faced the minimum in the second, third and fifth innings to help Shawnee State battle Midway to a scoreless tie through five complete innings.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, Midway was able to strike -- as a leadoff single by Tenley Gilbert and a steal by Gilbert, along with a walk to Ryann Berger, led to a double steal opportunity that created an error, allowing Gilbert to score as the Eagles took a 1-0 lead.
Unfazed, however, Shawnee State came right back with a counterpunch of its own.
A veteran infielder who has become a staple in the Bears' lineup over the past two seasons, Bianca Belo-Diaz's walk and a sacrifice by fellow upperclassman and veteran contributor Cameryn Davidson allowed Belo-Diaz to advance to second. Emily Cheatham's single then put runners at the corners, and the freshman proceeded to steal second -- putting two runners in scoring position with one gone in the frame.
While Midway was able to induce a pop fly, the next series of plays would go Shawnee State's way.
Jenna Christopher, the next batter up in the order, hit a groundball to the second base side of the infield -- but the ball was bobbled multiple times, and the speedy Christopher ultimately reached base without a throw as Belo-Diaz scored to tie matters up.
Shawnee State wouldn't even need to put a bat on the ball to score its next run.
With Cheatham up to third base after the grounder, Midway, in an attempt to try to pick the aggressive baserunner off at third, threw the ball away as Cheatham made her way back to third safely. The wide throw then allowed Cheatham to also score standing up, and without a throw, giving the Bears the go-ahead run.
It would prove to be all the Bears needed.
While Madison Hill singled and advanced to second base on an error, and Sawyer Snodgrass walked, Espinoza worked her way around trouble, as the senior forced a pop out and a groundout to conclude the contest in Shawnee State's favor.
For the contest, Cheatham (1-for-3, run scored), Davidson (1-for-2), Espinoza (1-for-3, walk), Sierra Dunnagan (1-for-4) and Mackenzie Hale (1-for-4) all reached the hit column in Shawnee State's one-run triumph.
Game 2
While Tuesday's opener proved to be a tight affair from start to finish, Shawnee State made certain that the second contest would not have the same fate.
Led by back-to-back singles from Sierra Dunnagan and Jenna Christopher, a passed ball and a sacrifice bunt by Genavie Espinoza allowed Dunnagan to score for the contest's opening round. Then, when Christopher stole third base, Mackenzie Hale brought in Christopher with an RBI double to left, giving Shawnee State a 2-0 lead with only one gone in the first frame.
The Bears then added on from there -- as a walk by Emily Moore was followed by a two-out single by Bianca Belo-Diaz to load the bases, then a two-RBI single by Cameryn Davidson that increased Shawnee State's lead to a 4-0 count.
A throwing error then allowed two more runs to score -- and in the blink of an eye, Shawnee State led by a 6-0 margin after the opening half-inning of play.
Even though Midway was able to answer with two runs in the bottom half of the opening frame to cut SSU's lead to 6-2 after the first frame, that proved to be as close as the Eagles would get.
In the third inning, Sydney Skiver's leadoff double was followed by a sacrifice bunt by Belo-Diaz, then an RBI groundout by Cameryn Davidson that allowed Skiver to score.
Following Davidson's RBI groundout, the next five Shawnee State batters all reached base with two out in the frame, as Emily Cheatham's single, Dunnagan's walk, and a single by Christopher -- the 100th hit of Christopher's Shawnee State career -- loaded the bases, leading to a bases-loaded walk by Espinoza and a two-RBI single by Hale to give the Bears a 10-2 lead after three innings of work.
While the first and third innings did a number on Midway, the fourth frame made the lead essentially insurmountable -- as 12 batters came to the plate in a seven-run fourth. Following a leadoff single by Belo-Diaz, the next two batters flied out -- but the next eight batters followed after that by reaching base as Dunnagan singled, and after an error that allowed Dunnagan and Belo-Diaz to reach base, Christopher's walk loaded the bases for Espinoza, who shot a two-RBI single to right field, while Hale followed with her own RBI single to center field to drive in three runs.
When Moore walked again to load the bags up yet again, Skiver followed with a two-RBI single to center field, and Belo-Diaz, along with Davidson, completed the seven-run stanza with back-to-back RBI singles through the left side of the infield, pushing Shawnee State's lead to a massive 17-2 margin after four innings complete.
With the game all but over, the Bears were able to get reps for additional talents -- who also delivered. Dunnagan, who posted a leadoff single to right field and advanced to second on a passed ball, then moved over to third base on a wild pitch as pinch-hitter Hailee Bay saw ball four. Madison Franz's RBI single to center field and Bella Sorbilli's sacrifice fly RBI later in the fifth inning concluded the 19-2 onslaught.
For the contest, Hale (4-for-4, double, four RBI, two runs scored) and Belo-Diaz (3-for-3, RBI, two runs scored) enjoyed perfect performances at the dish, while Sierra Dunnagan (3-for-4, walk, four runs scored), Jenna Christopher (2-for-3, walk, three runs scored), Cameryn Davidson (2-for-4, four RBI, run scored) and Sydney Skiver (2-for-4, double, two RBI, two runs scored) all enjoyed multi-hit outings.
Behind them, Genavie Espinoza (1-for-2, walk, four RBI, run scored), Emily Cheatham (1-for-4, two RBI, run scored) and Madison Franz (1-for-1, RBI) all reached the hit column as well.
Pitching-wise, Emma Wargel and Gabby McConnell combined for a complete game six-hitter as the duo remained well in control. The pair, combined, only needed to throw 76 pitches to go the distance.
Additional
The schedule for Shawnee State softball has been modified as the Bears will now take on Brescia (Ky.) Thursday, Feb. 17 at Kamuf Park at 2:30 p.m. in Owensboro, Ky. in a River States Conference doubleheader that has been moved from Saturday due to incoming weather. Shawnee State was scheduled to play a home doubleheader against Ohio Christian Wednesday, but that doubleheader has been moved to Monday, April 28 and will also be a road trip for the Bears in Circleville -- slated to begin at 2 p.m.
