Pioneers Swept at Cottey to Open Season

The Basics
Game 1 Score: MNU 1 - Cottey 7
Game 2 Score: MNU 7 - Cottey 9
Records: MNU (0-2), CC (5-1)
Location: Vanek Family Field - Nevada, Mo.

NEVADA, Mo. - The Pioneers dropped the first two games of the season at Cottey on Saturday. In Game 1, the Pioneers managed just 1 run in the 7th while Cottey built a 7-0 lead with 3 in the 1st, 1 in the 4th, and 3 in the 6th.

Game 1 Turning Point
Cottey's 3-run 1st was enough.

Game 1 Individual Leaders
Kelly Stoakes (1-3, R), Rilee Slycord (1-3), Morgan Fouch (2-3, 2B), and Abby Schulte (1-3, RBI) had MNU's 5 hits.

In Game 2, the Pioneers built a 3-0 lead before the Comets scored 1 in the 3rd and 2 in the 4th to tie it. In the bottom of the 6th, a huge Comet rally led to 6 runs and a 9-3 lead. MNU put up 4 runs in the top of the 7th, but fell 9-7.

Game 2 Turning Point
The 6-run bottom of the 6th was the difference.

Game 2 Individual Leaders
Cordelia Hanger (1-3, 3 R, BB, SB), Alli VanLanker (2-4, R, 2B), Kelly Stoakes (3-4, R, 3 RBI), and Morgan Fouch (3-4, R, 2B, RBI) led the offense.

Up Next
The next game is Saturday at the Spring 2023 Kansas City NAIA Softball Invitational (Mid-America Sports Complex | Shawnee, Kan.) vs. Concordia at 11:00 followed by Tabor at 1:00.