April 17, 2009

Story courtesy of Central Methodist Sports Information

FAYETTE, Mo. – The Central Methodist (Mo.) University softball team rolled to a 10-1 win in five innings in game one of a doubleheader (April 16) against Stephens (Mo.) College, marking CMU Head Coach Pat Reardon’s 400th career victory. The Lady Eagles then held on for a 6-4 win in the second game to win their seventh straight game.

After scoring one run in the 1st inning of game one, Central Methodist exploded for six runs in the 2nd on three hits and taking advantage of four errors by Stephens. Both teams were held scoreless during the next two innings, but CMU added three more runs in the top of the 5th inning to extend its lead to 10-0. The three runs in the final inning began with a lead-off solo homerun by junior Jessica Henderson (Salisbury, Mo.), her first of the season. Although Stephens was able to get on the scoreboard in the 7th inning, the Stars could not match the offensive production of the Lady Eagles.

Central Methodist out-hit Stephens 12-10 in game one. Junior Chelsea Fuemmeler recorded six strikeouts through five innings. Freshman Kelsey Johnley (Troy, Mo.) finished the first game 3-for-4 with two RBIs. Freshman Kayla Yount (Olathe, Kan.) also recorded two RBIs on 1-for-2 hitting.

Stephens refused to give up in game two. The Lady Eagles grabbed a 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the 6th inning. Stephens rallied to score two runs, but a groundout and a strikeout ended the 6th inning with CMU still on top 4-2. With one out in the 7th, Yount hit her first homerun of the season, a two-run shot over the center-field fence. Yount’s homer proved to be the difference in the game as Stephens added two more runs in the bottom of the 7th, before a groundout ended the game.

Both teams recorded nine hits in the second game, but the Lady Eagles were helped by six Stephens’ errors. Yount led CMU in the game with her two RBIs on 2-for-4 hitting. Junior McCall Kenney (Mt. Pleasant, Texas) earned the win by recording nine strikeouts and scattering six hits and allowing two runs through five-and-a-third innings. Sophomore Annie Duffner (Jefferson City, Mo.) pitched the final inning-and-two-

The Lady Eagles are set to travel to Springfield, Ill., this weekend for a tournament at the University of Illinois-Springfield Saturday and Sunday. CMU will take on St. Xavier University and Cardinal-Stritch University Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m., respectively. The team will then face Rogers State University and McKendree University Sunday at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.