By Michelle Bishop
The No. 21-ranked UNO softball team split a doubleheader with Central Missouri Saturday in Warrensburg, Mo. The Jennies, who clinched the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association regular season conference title Friday, edged out the Mavs 2-1 in game one and dropped game two 10-4.In game one, UNO was held to just two hits as Central Missouri senior pitcher Megan Leonard, the Division II National Pitcher of the Week, picked up 15 strikeouts. Entering the weekend, Leonard led the nation with a 0.41 ERA and was second in strikeouts per seven innings at 12.48.
The Jennies scored both of their runs in the third inning. Junior Jessie Shelman doubled to left center and later scored on a throwing error. Senior Tracey Anderson, who reached on a walk, scored when sophomore Kelli Kurka hit into a fielder’s choice.
The Mavs scored their only run in the top of the fifth when sophomore Ashley Lynch walked and advanced to score on a double by junior Treightin Yates.
Junior Melissa Negrete took the loss for UNO (15-6). Negrete pitched six innings and gave up one earned run on five hits, while striking out four and walking two.
UNO’s bats woke up in game two. The Mavs collected 13 hits and took advantage of six Central Missouri errors to win 10-4.
The Jennies jumped out to a 3-0 lead, knocking starter sophomore Lindsey Slocum out after just two and two-thirds innings.
The Mavs responded with two runs in the top of the third and continued with four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings.
Junior Jenna Dell led the offense in game two. Dell hit a grand slam in the fourth, finishing the game with five RBIs. To set up Dell’s bases clearing shot, Lynch walked and freshman Molly Feichtinger and Slocum both singled. Dell is now tied with freshman Katelyn Hinton for the team home run lead with seven.
In the fifth inning, Dell picked up her fifth RBI of the game when she was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Slocum allowed three runs on seven hits, while striking out three. Sophomore Beth Haley picked up the win in relief, pitching four and a third innings. Haley allowed just three hits and one run to improve to 11-4 on the year.
On Friday, the Mavs swept host Southwest Baptist (21-35, 3-15 MIAA) in Bolivar, Mo. UNO pounded out 12 hits to take game one 12-0 and held on to win a defensive battle 2-1 in the second game.
In the first game, the Mavs struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the second. Slocum doubled to lead off the inning and scored on sophomore Alli Hukill’s single to right.
UNO added three more in the third. Yates walked to lead off the inning, and Feichtinger followed with a single. Senior Amanda Bader continued the attack by doubling to score Yates. Slocum then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Feichtinger and Bader, who advanced on a throwing error to put UNO up 4-0.
The Mavs added two more runs in the sixth to take a 6-0 lead before doubling their score in the seventh.
Junior Julia Krejci started the seventh-inning barrage with a pinch-hit home run. Junior Kristi Meneely continued the scoring with a two-run single, while Lynch drove in another run with a single. Yates capped the scoring with a two-run double, scoring Meneely and Lynch.
Negrete worked a complete game, holding the Bearcats to just two hits and striking out three.
Meneely and Yates each finished with two RBIs while junior Kristin Wellwood finished 2-for-3 and scored two runs.
The second game proved to be a pitcher’s duel. Southwest sophomore pitcher Josie Rose held UNO to two runs on three hits, while striking out nine and walking five. But Slocum (13-2) out-dueled her counterpart by holding Southwest to one run on two hits, while striking out five and walking none.
A third-inning single by Slocum drove in UNO’s first run. In the fourth, an RBI triple by Yates scored Wellwood to put UNO up 2-0.
The Bearcats got one back in the bottom of the seventh. Junior Katrina Munoz reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by freshman BreAnn Proctor. Slocum halted the two-out rally by getting senior Taressa Gomez to pop out to short to end the game.
The Mavs (39-12, 13-5 MIAA) remained on the road to close out their MIAA regular season schedule with a pair of games Monday at Missouri Southern. Results were unavailable as of press time.
UNO, currently fourth in the MIAA league standings, clinched a berth in the MIAA softball championship held Thursday through Saturday at the Blue Valley Recreation Complex in Overland Park, Kan. As of press time, game time and opponent had yet to be determined.
