Ravens Softball earned a split against one of the top-ranked teams in the country on Saturday.
The Ravens knocked off No. 4 Baker University 5-4 in the opening game in Atchison, before dropping Game 2 6-3 in extra innings.
Game 1
The Ravens faced a pair of tough pitchers in the opening game. Baker's Kira Baker had only allowed 4 runs in 100 innings of action coming into Saturday, and kept the Ravens off the board through the first two innings. However, the Ravens plated 2 runs against the pitcher in the third inning with some help from an error by the Wildcats centerfielder.
With the game tied 2-2 in the fourth, Abby Pressgrove's batted ball scored another run thanks to an error by the Wildcats, this time against BU pitcher Skylar Gorrell.
The Ravens added much-needed insurance runs against Baker in the 5th inning as Bella Ingui singled in a pair of runs to put the Ravens up 5-2 after 5 innings of play.
Those runs came in handy as the Wildcats scored twice in the 7th inning, but Lacey Foster replaced Kera Willoughby in the circle and earned a save as the Ravens won 5-4.
Willoughby pitched 6 strong innings to earn the win. Foster was perfect in replacing Willoughby in the 7th, getting all three Baker batters out to thwart the comeback attempt.
Kassidy James had 3 hits in the opening game of the doubleheader and Halley Rindom scored 2 runs.
Game 2
Foster was stellar in the second game. She gave up 2 runs through 7 innings of play but the Wildcats were just as strong, forcing the game to extra innings.
Foster gave up 1 run in the top of the 8th, but the Ravens answered back in the bottom frame when Clare Heitz singled in James to force another extra inning.
Baker was able to score 3 in the 9th to take a 6-3 lead. The Ravens were able to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 9th, but the Wildcats picked up the win.
Madison Zaccardo had the Ravens biggest hit in Game 2, hitting a 2-run home run to tie the score in the 4th inning.
The Ravens move to 16-19 on the season and are 6-6 in Heart of America play. Next up will be a Wednesday, April 12 doubleheader at Peru State.
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