The Pioneers opened the season with a convincing sweep of St. Mary (KS) on Wednesday. MNU is 2-0 after winning by scores of 5-3 and 17-0.
MNU started defending HAAC Conference Player of the Year Jennifer Costa in the first game. MNU took a 1-0 lead when senior Taylor Ryal singled home Costa with 2 outs. MNU went up 2-0 after senior Ashley Salter tripled and junior Cait Gardner hit a sacrifice fly to score pinch runner Becca McCoy. In the 4th inning singles from Salter, Gardner, and senior Emily True scored a run and a sacrifice fly from freshman Lynsey Keith made it 4-0. Coach Babinski went to the bullpen in the 6th, but USM mounted a comeback when a hit, a walk, and a couple of MNU's miscues led to 3 runs. Costa returned to stop the threat and MNU took a 4-3 to the bottom of the 6th. Pinch hitter Alexis Folkets used her first collegiate at bat to send a moon shot over the left field fence to add an insurance run for the Pioneers. Coach Babinski brought in freshman Jessica Hull to close the game on the mound. She saw 4 batters, surrendered just 1 hit and earned a save. Leading the offense was Salter (2-2, 3B), True (2-2, 2B, RBI, HBP, SB), and Folkerts (1-1, R, HR, RBI). Costa (1-0) went 5.2 innings giving up 0 runs on 5 hits with 1 walk and 9 strikeouts.
In Game 2, MNU got on the scoreboard early and often scoring 10 in the first and 6 in the second. In the first inning Jenny Polivka, Taylor Ryal, Ashley Salter, and Chelsea Bapst all walked to score the first run. Jessica Hull broke things open with a 2-out 2-run single and sophomore Leslie Jones followed her with a 2 RBI triple. Emily True walked and Polivka and junior Tianna George singled before Costa cleared the bases with a home run to center. The scoring continued in the 2nd inning when Salter singled and Bapst homered to deep left center. Hull and Jones walked to bring up True who cleared the bases with a homer of her own. A Polivka single, George double and Costa sacrifice fly would finish the scoring in the second. The Pioneers would score a 17th run in the fourth with another sacrifice fly by Costa scoring Polivka. On the mound, Kayla Harris worked 3 scoreless innings giving up 2 hits, 1 walk, and a strikeout. Junior transfer Annie Duffner and junior Becca McCoy each added a scoreless inning a piece to add up a team shutout. Leading the offense was Polivka (3-3, 4 R, RBI, SB), George (2-2, R, 2B, RBI), True (1-1, 2 R, HR, BB, 3 RBI), Costa (1-2, R, HR, 4 RBI), Salter (1-1, R, RBI, RBI), Bapst (1-2, 2 R, HR, BB, 3 RBI), and Leslie Jones (1-2, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBI).
The Pioneers are 2-0. The next game is a double header at home vs. St. Mary at Lone Elm Park in Olathe on Thursday at 5:00.
Game 1 Stats and Play by Play
Game 2 Stats and Play by Play
