KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Benedictine Softball continued their season-opening road swing on Sunday and Monday, playing make a five-game tournament appearance at the new Homefield Complex in Wyandotte County at the 2024 Kansas City Softball Invitational.

The Ravens posted wins of 8-0, 6-1, and 6-5 over Mayville State, Bethel (Kan.) and Concordia (Neb.) on Sunday. They finished off the tournament appearance with a split on Monday, falling to Midland 9-8 in 8 innings before beating Avila 5-2.

Benedictine 8, Mayville State 0
The Ravens scored 4 runs in the third and 3 runs in the fifth to end their match-up with Mayville State after five innings.

Bailey Selvage earned the win, throwing 4 innings with four strikeouts. Abby Pressgrove finished off the fifth, holding Mayville State hitless with one strikeout.

Baylee Knorr anchored the Ravens at the plate, going 3 for 4 with 3 RBI. Chloe Strickland added a home run and finished with 3 RBI while Clare Heitz added a two-hit game.

Benedictine 6, Bethel (Kan.) 1
The Ravens scored four runs in the sixth inning against the Threshers to seal the win. 

Lacey Foster earned the win inside the circle, throwing five and third with five strikeouts. Selvage threw the final inning and two-thirds to earn a save, holding Bethel to just two hits with four strikeouts.

Four of the Ravens 9 hits at the plate were for extra bases. Kera Willoughby, Alena Velilla, and Ryan Cooper all hit doubles while Riley Kennedy added a triple. Sam Bertoncino led the Ravens with 2 RBI while Kennedy and Cooper were joined by Kassidy James and Strickland with an RBI each.

Midland 9, Benedictine 8 - 8 innings
Midland scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth to hand the Ravens their second loss of the season on Monday morning.

Lily SinghDhillon suffered the loss, giving up the go-ahead run after going two and one-third. She followed Foster and Willoughby who combined to throw the first five innings. Foster threw 4 innings, giving up 5 runs off 7 hits with a pair of strikeouts while Willoughby threw one inning, giving up 2 runs off 1 hit.

Willoughby hit a 3-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Ravens a 4-1 lead. Cooper added a double at the plate while Abby Pressgrove, Knorr, Bertoncino, and Cooper joined Willoughby with an RBI each.

Benedictie 5, Avila 2
Home runs from Willoughby and Rhiannon Martin homered in the third inning to give the Ravens the lead for good.

After giving up two runs in the first inning, Selvage settled in to record a complete game inside the circle. She allowed the two runs off two hits with five strikeouts. 

Martin added a double to her home run and joined Willoughby with two RBI.

Benedictine makes their home debut on Saturday, hosting a Noon doubleheader on Saturday against Bellevue (Neb.) University on Ravens Field. 

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