A short fall golf season ended in Baker’s favor Tuesday as the women captured first place in the Missouri Valley College Fall Invitational.
Baker competed against Heart of America Athletic Conference teams Missouri Valley and Avila University.
At the end of the first day, which was played on the Stone Hedge Golf Course, the Wildcats were behind Avila by 8 strokes but stayed ahead of Missouri Valley by 10.
Head coach Karen Exon said the team knew it needed to step its game up the next day in order to win.
“We didn’t necessarily score poorly but not as well as we could have,” Exon said.
The team finished the first day with a combined score of 359.
The next day the team teed off Indian Foothills Golf Course in what Exon said was wind conditions much different from what the course was made for.
Even with the less-than-perfect conditions, Exon said freshman Mackenzie Simon stepped up her game and launched herself into third place individually for the entire tournament.
“For the first time all season, she put together two solid 9-hole rounds,” Exon said.
The team finished with 351 strokes the second day and an overall combined total of 710 strokes.
Senior Alicia Kortz said the win could be attributed to the hard work of the entire team and the two different types of courses the members played on.
“We got to practice on that course the day before, and I think the main factor was just the type of course it was,” she said. “The girls were hitting the ball really straight and long and made their putts when it counted.”
Exon said the team will continue preparing for the spring season and expects the return of two women, one who has been studying abroad and the other who is recovering from surgery.
“We can definitely improve when they join and start practicing,” Kortz said.
The men finished their season Oct. 5-7 at the Missouri Valley College Invitational.
The team placed second overall behind Missouri Valley, which is ranked in the nation’s Top 25.
Junior Gavin Tatrn placed fifth individually scoring 84 the first day and 75 the second.
The team combined for a first day total of 340 strokes but came back the second day and recorded 299 strokes.
“We came back the second day and shot 299, which I was very pleased with,” Exon said. “It marked the first time all fall where we shot below 300 as a team.”
The team expects the return of senior Chase Day and junior Jared Drummond, who were both out this fall due to injury.