After sweeping Graceland University and Culver-Stockton College in its first two conference doubleheaders, the Baker University softball team split a doubleheader with Benedictine College Tuesday by winning game one 5-4 and dropping the nightcap 3-1.
Junior starting pitcher Erin Greenwood recorded her sixth consecutive win and third straight complete game in the Wildcats’ 5-4 victory over the Ravens. She was also selected as the Heart of America Athletic Conference and NAIA Softball Pitcher of the Week after throwing a perfect game against Culver-Stockton Friday.
The Wildcats took a 5-0 lead in the early innings by scoring three runs in the second inning and once in the third and fourth. The Ravens rallied for two runs in the fifth and seventh inning, respectively, but came up short.
Juniors Brooke Plummer and Tara Chumley led the Wildcats offensively with two RBIs apiece while senior Summer Kelley drove in Baker’s other run.
BU suffered its first HAAC loss in game two as the Wildcats were limited to one run on four hits.
Benedictine scored three runs off of Plummer in the first inning before freshman Mallorie Nelson came in to shut down the Ravens’ offense for the rest of the game. The three runs were all Benedictine needed, though, as the Wildcats’ lone run was knocked in on an RBI double by Kelley in the seventh.
Baker came into the doubleheader on short rest as it played a non-conference doubleheader against WIlliam Penn University Monday in Oskaloosa, Iowa.
The Wildcats split that doubleheader as well by winning the opener 1-0 and falling in game two 9-1 in six innings.
Greenwood threw a complete game shutout in game one to keep William Penn off the scoreboard, while sophomore Alyse Menghini drove in the game’s only run on a solo home run in the fifth inning.
William Penn’s offense came alive in game two, though, by scoring nine runs off of 13 hits.
Baker is 13-7 overall and 5-1 in conference play, which puts the Wildcats in third place in the HAAC. The Wildcats will take on Peru State College for a doubleheader Saturday in Peru, Neb. Game one is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.
