Jen Costa and
Penny Eastman continued their mound dominance with a sweep of Benedictine in the first round of the conference tournament on Friday. Beneictine managed just 3 hits on the evening, but both games were decided late. In game one, the game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth when the Pioneers mounted a rally with one out.
Emily True,
Ashley Salter, Jen Costa, and
Taylor Ryal hit consecutive singles to bring in a run and load the bases.
Ashley Mayhle then drilled a triple down the right field line to clear the bases and give MNU a 4-run lead. Kim Russell followed with a suicide squeeze, and Costa cruised to finish her 19th victory by the score of 5-0.
Ashley Salter (2-2, R, BB), Jen Costa (2-3, R), and
Ashley Mayhle (1-3, R, 3B, 3 RBI) led the offense.
In game two (MNU was the visitor on the scoreboard),
Penny Eastman dominated on the mound and carried a 1-0 lead to the sixth inning. With a runner on 1st and 2 outs, Benedictine lofted a fly ball to left field which was dropped. After a wild throw, the Ravens scored the unearned tying run. But the Pioneer offense picked up Eastman and the defense in the top of seventh with a 2-run rally. Jess Campbell led off with a single and
Steph Jones sacrificed her to second.
Brianna Payne singled, putting Campbell at 3rd with one out, and
Emily True's RBI groundout gave MNU the lead. Jen Costa drove in another run with a single, and Eastman completed the 15-strikeout, 1-hit victory for her 17th win of the season.
Brianna Payne (2-4, 2 R, SB),
Emily True (2-4, RBI), Jen Costa (2-4, 2 RBI), and
Ashley Mayhle (2-3, 2B) had multi-hit games.
The Pioneers are 41-5. The next double header is Tuesday at home vs. Evangel at 4:00 PM. If necessary, Game 3 will be at home on Wednesday at 1:00 PM.
