Softball split their final non-conference doubleheader of the season on Tuesday afternoon.
The Ravens lost Game 1, 7-4, to the Bellevue University Bruins but salvaged a split with a 6-1 in in the second game.
Game 1
Unforced errors were the Ravens undoing in the opening game. The Ravens had 4 errors in the contest to give the Bruins 5 unearned runs.
Both teams got on the board quickly as BU plated 2 in the first, 1 in the second, and another pair of runs in the third inning.
The Ravens answered with a 2-run double by Natalie Sheffield in the first inning and a 2-run single by Kassidy James in the bottom of the second. The visitors held a 5-4 lead after 3 innings of play. The final runs of the game came in favor of the Bruins in the 6th inning as they earned a 7-4 win.
Kera Willoughby started in the circle for the Ravens, giving up 5 runs, just 2 earned, in 2.2 innings. Lacey Foster pitched 4.1 innings in relief with 4 strikeouts and 2 unearned runs.
Madison Zaccardo joined Sheffield with a double at the plate.
Game 2
The Ravens played a cleaner game in the field in the second game and it paid off with a win. Abby Pressgrove pitched a gem in the circle, earning a complete game win. She allowed 3 hits, 1 run and struck out 5 batters over her 7 innings.
After the Bruins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 4th inning, the Ravens answered. Sheffield and Zaccardo singled and both scored on a two-out double by Rilee Bell. It was Bell's turn to score when Chloe Strickland singled to left-center, giving the Ravens a 3-1 lead.
The Ravens added 3 more in the bottom of the 5th. Ally Pickering got things started with a leadoff triple and then scored on a single by James. Megan Medhus reached on a fielder's choice, stole second base, and scored on Sheffield's double. Sheffield stole third and then scored on a bloop single by Zaccardo to give the Ravens a 6-1 lead.
Solid defense and pitching from that point on closed out the win for the Ravens (10-13).
The Ravens move into Heart of America play this weekend with doubleheaders at William Penn on Saturday and Culver-Stockton on Sunday.
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