Courtesy of Midland Athletics
SHAWNEE, Okla. – Back on the diamond for a pair of games at the NAIASB Invitational, No. 11-ranked Midland University faced Friends University and Avila University. The Warriors swept the final day of the weekend, earning a 6-2 win over the Falcons and a 7-0 victory over the Eagles in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
GAME ONE: Midland 6, Friends 2
Friends loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but Midland escaped the jam after three walks to open the game. In the home half, the Warriors recorded a one-out single but were also kept off the board.
Following another scoreless inning, Midland loaded the bases in the third as Alexis Shepherd singled ahead of walks to Emma Hodnet and Grace Behrns. A third walk of the inning brought Isabelle Pagan to first and forced in a run. That would be the lone run of the frame as a strikeout was followed by two fielder’s choice outs.
In the fourth inning, Sophie De Rouin drove in Maddison Zach with a triple. She later scored during the next at-bat as Shepherd grounded out to third.
The Falcons scored their first run in the top of the fifth to trim the deficit, but Midland responded immediately in the bottom half as Pagan led off with a solo home run to make it 4-1.
An inning later, the Warriors added two more runs. De Rouin singled, stole second, and scored on a one-out single by Behrns. Charlee Wegner entered as a pinch runner and stole second before Pagan delivered another RBI with a single to center.
Friends recorded a pair of hits and scored once in the top of the seventh, but Midland secured the 6-2 victory.
Mackenzie Groninga threw a complete game, going seven innings and allowing two earned runs on three hits with 10 strikeouts.
Statistical Standouts
- Alexis Shepherd: 1-for-4, R, RBI
- Isabelle Pagan: 2-for-3, R, 3 RBI, HR, BB
- Sophie De Rouin: 2-for-3, 2 R, RBI, 3B, SB
GAME TWO: Midland 7, Avila 0
In the final game of the weekend, Midland’s offense remained hot, scoring seven runs on 10 hits.
The Warriors got on the board in the second inning as Isabelle Pagan hit a leadoff home run. After Jayci Reimers reached on an error, MaKenna Watkins singled, and Danielle Schoby reached on a throwing error to load the bases.
With the bases loaded, Maddison Zach and Alexis Shepherd each delivered RBI singles to extend the lead to 3-0.
An inning later, Watkins hit a two-out triple and scored on a single by Schoby.
After a pair of quiet middle innings, Midland added a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh. Emma Hodnet drove in Zach with an infield groundout, and Watkins capped the scoring with a two-run home run, bringing home Charlee Wegner.
Campbell Petrick rebounded from a pair of uncharacteristic outings to earn the win. She pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just two hits over seven innings with four strikeouts.
Statistical Standouts
- Isabelle Pagan: 1-for-3, R, RBI, HR, BB
- Jayci Reimers: 2-for-4, R
- MaKenna Watkins: 3-for-4, 3 R, 3B, HR, 2 RBI
- Maddison Zach: 2-for-4, R, RBI, SB
Midland (8-5) returns to the road next weekend with a trip to Shawnee, Kansas, for the Midwest College Classic Top Gun. The Warriors will face Bethany and Oklahoma Wesleyan on Friday, followed by (RV) Baker and No. 8 Central Methodist on Saturday.
