Jennifer Costa's 5-inning perfect game highlighted a double header sweep of Avila on Wednesday. The defending National Pitcher of the Week was perfect on the mound and at the plate, as she went 5-5 in the two games. The Pioneers jumped all over Avila in the first inning when with two outs, MNU strung 5 hits together to put up 4 quick runs. Costa proceded to strike out 13 hitters as the Pioneers extended the lead. Single runs in the third and fourth made the score 6-0, and a Caitlin Thomas 2-run homer in the bottom of the fifth ended the game via the 8-run rule. Costa's perfect game was complete as she struck out 13 of the 15 hitters she faced, and Costa (3-3, 2 R, 2 2B, RBI), Taylor Ryal (2-3, R, 2B, 2 RBI), Caitlin Gardner (3-3, R, 2 RBI, SB), and Caitlin Thomas (1-1, R, HR, 2 RBI) led the offense.
In game 2,
Penny Eastman almost matched Costa's dominance as she struck out 10 hitters in the 5-inning 11-0 rout. She allowed just two base runners on 1 hit as the Pioneers completed the sweep.
Brianna Payne (2-3, R),
Ashley Salter (2-3, R, 2B),
Jennifer Costa (2-2, 3 R, 2 SB),
Taylor Ryal (3-3, 2 R, HR, 4 RBI, SB), and Caitlin Thomas (2-3, 2 RBI) had multi-hit games for MNU.
The Pioneers are 33-5 (13-3 HAAC). The next double header is Friday at home vs. Missouri Valley (22-19, 7-3) at 4:00 PM.
