OTTAWA, Kan. – The (17) Ottawa University softball team split with Missouri Valley College on Tuesday afternoon at Alumni Park. The Braves fell in eight innings, 3-2, in game one but took game two, 12-11, in eight innings.

Game One
Missouri Valley struck first, taking a 1-0 lead over the Braves in the top of the first inning. The Braves took the lead in the bottom of the second.

Cierra Faubion doubled to right and moved to second on a bunt single by Megan Kennedy. Addison Spencer singled to left, scoring both Faubion and Kennedy to give OU a 2-1 lead.

The Vikings tied the game in the top of the third inning, 2-2. The Braves had an opportunity to retake lead in the bottom of the sixth. OU had runners on first and second but where not able to score. In the seventh, it was three up and three down for OU and the game went into the eighth.

In the top of the eighth, Missouri Valley took the lead 3-2. The Braves loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth but was not able to score the game tying run and MVC took the 3-2 victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Megan Kennedy, Cierra Faubion, Reagan Hammons, and Addison Spencer had one hit apiece.
• OU left 10 people on base and Missouri Valley left eight.
• Ashlynn Mercer pitched five innings, striking out two.
• Loralei Gilbert pitched the final three innings, only allowing one hit.

Game Two
MVC scored five runs in the top of the first to take the early 5-0 lead. Ottawa cut into the Viking lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Macy Roever doubled to left. Katie Enneking's single to left scored Roever, and OU was down 5-1.

The Vikings extended their lead over the Braves with a run in the top of the second, 6-1. Ottawa answered with six runs in their bottom half of the inning. OU scored six runs on six hits and one error to take a 7-6 lead.

The Braves extended their lead in the bottom of the third. Back-to-back singles by Megan Kennedy and Rachel Pederson gave OU runners on first and second with no outs. Roever's ground out to first moved Kennedy to third and Pederson to second.

Addison Spencer doubled to center, scoring both Kennedy and Pederson to give the Braves a 9-6 lead. Ottawa scored one more run in the inning. Katie Enneking doubled to center,  scoring Spencer and OU led 10-6.

In the top of the fourth inning, Missouri Valley tied the game with a grand slam by Chrisha Gray, 10-10. After a scoreless fifth and sixth, MVC retook the lead in the top of the seventh, 11-10. Ottawa tied the game in the bottom of the seventh. Pederson singled to short and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Roever. A wild pitch moved Pederson 60 feet from home. Spencer's single to left scored Pederson and the game was tied 11-11.

In the eighth inning, MVC was able to advance a runner to third. But the Braves were able to prevent the Vikings from retaking the lead, giving OU a chance to win the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Reagan Hammons laid down a sacrifice bunt, moving Hafenstine to third. After a Brave strike out, Morgan Bradford hit an infield single. Hafenstine scored, giving OU the 12-11 victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Ottawa had 17 hits in the game.
• Rachel Pederson, Katie Enneking, and Addison Spencer had three hits apiece.
• Enneking led OU with five RBI.
• Takiya Hill pitched four innings, striking out five.
• Madison Carney earned her second win of the season, pitching the final four innings of the game.

Who is Next
The Braves (13-5) return to the diamond at the Friends University Tournament on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 in Wichita, Kan. Ottawa opens the tournament on Friday at 11:00 a.m. against Saint Ambrose University.