KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The (25) Ottawa University softball team swept KCAC leader (RV) Avila University on Wednesday afternoon at The Z. The Braves won game one, 7-2, and took game two 6-5 in eight innings.
Game One
Avila struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. Ottawa answered in the top of the second.
Emma Melvin walked and then moved to second when
Megan Kennedy was hit by a pitch.
Rachel Pederson followed that with her first home run of the season, giving OU a 3-1 lead.
In the top of the third, Ottawa increased its lead over Avila.
Katie Enneking doubled to right-center.
Kara Hafenstine's ground out moved Enneking 60 feet from home.
Reagan Hammons scored her with a bunt single and OU led 4-1.
The Braves continued to pour it on offensively against the Eagles. In the top of the fourth, Ottawa pushed three more runs across home plate.
Pederson doubled to left.
Macy Roever's infield single moved Pederson to third. A throwing error by the AU catcher, scored Pederson and the Braves had a 5-1 lead. Another Avila miscue put Enneking on first and Roever on third. Hafenstine put the ball in play, scoring Roever and OU led 6-1. Ottawa scored its final run of the inning on a ground out by Melvin. She scored Enneking, giving OU a 7-1 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Avila was able to cut into the Brave lead with a run. That would be all the closer they would get as OU took the game, 7-2.
Inside the Box Score
- Macy Roever went 3-for-5 at the plate, scoring one run.
- Rachel Pederson had two hits in four at bats. She drove in three runs and scored two.
- Ashlynn Mercer earned win no. 13 this season. She struck out five in seven innings.
Game Two
Avila took a 1-0 lead over the Braves with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Ottawa tied the game in the top of the second.
Reagan Hammons walked and then moved to third on an AU throwing error.
Megan Kennedy's ground out to second scored Hammons and the game was tied, 1-1.
Ottawa broke the tie in the top of the fourth. Hammons singled up the middle. A sacrifice bunt by
Nayely Delgado moved Hammons to second.
Rachel Pederson scored Hammons and the Braves led 2-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Braves extended their lead over the Eagles.
Macy Roever was hit by a pitch.
Addison Spencer doubled to left-center, scoring Roever and Ottawa led 3-1.
Avila rallied in the bottom of the sixth and scored two runs to tie the game, 3-3. In the top of the seventh, Pederson reached third but OU was not able to retake the lead. Avila had a runner reach third in its bottom half of the seventh but was not able to walk it off and the game went into the eighth.
In the top of the eighth, the Braves were able to retake the lead.
Katie Enneking was placed on second, thanks to the international tie breaker rule, and
Kara Hafenstine walked. Hammons moved Enneking to third and Hafenstine to second with a ground out.
Delgado hit a double to left, scoring both Enneking and Hafenstine and OU led 5-3.
Morgan Bradford followed that with a double of her own. That hit scored
Macey Morris, who was pinch running for Delgado, and the Braves had a 6-3 lead.
Avila tried to respond. The Eagles scored two runs, cutting OU's lead to 6-5. That was all the closer Avila was able to get.
Loralei Gilbert got the final Eagle to line out and the Braves took the 6-5 victory.
Inside the Box Score
Who is Next
The Braves (27-11, 11-3) return to the diamond on Saturday, April 6 in Lindsborg, Kan. against Bethany College. Game one of the double header is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
