Park University's softball team has much to celebrate after a 4-0 start at the 2023 Kanas City Spring Invite. The Pirates had a great showing in their opening weekend against Iowa Wesleyan University, No. 16 Columbia College, (RV) Saint Mary of the Wood College, and Tabor.

The Pirates and Baker University were the only teams to make it out of the tournament without a loss, a strong showing from the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

The Pirates were able to put up plenty of offense in the four games, recording at or above seven runs and nine hits in each game.

GAME 1 | Iowa Wesleyan, 10-9 | Box Score

By the time Park's bats heated up in their first game of the season, Iowa Wesleyan responded to Park's three runs with a six-run spot of their own in the top of the fourth.

Down 8-3, the Pirates had their work cut out for them, but freshman Nia Muniz in the circle settled in for her second full inning of her Pirate debut and put up a zero in the top of the fifth inning to give her team a chance. She did not allow an earned run and struck out three in her four innings of work, eventually earning the win in her first-ever college appearance.

In the last two innings, the Pirates made magic happen with a three-run bottom of the fifth with RBI singles from Brooke Conner, Ashley Kurima, and Macee Austin; bringing the deficit to 8-6.

One run scored in the top of the sixth, but in the bottom of the sixth Park came roaring back with two two-run homeruns to over take the Tigers, 10-9. Muniz gave Park the go-ahead homerun to right-center field that ended up being the game winner.

Kali Day was the anchor in the four-hole for Park, rocketing two home runs in the game on a two-for-three day. Her first home run was a three-run shot, giving her five RBI's to open the season.

GAME 2 | No. 16 Columbia, 7-4 | Box Score

Park's second game was a true test of where Park is at and they passed with flying colors against No. 16 Columbia.

The new faces in the circle were part of the storyline over the weekend, as Lauren Fiene's debut was a masterful performance. The transfer from Drury University looked in control over the course of her entire outing, going for a complete game with six strikeouts. Her only earned runs came off of a three-run home run in the later innings when the lead was already safe at 7-1. She earned the win in the 7-4 game, toppling the stout ranked opponent.

The Pirates' offense was powered by the powerful bats of Halle Magee and Day. Both were three-for-three, accounting for all but three of Park's hits. Together they gave Park four RBI's in the game and two home runs between them.

Magee wasted no time in her first at-bat going with a pitch to opposite field for a solo home run.

In the top of the third, Day announced herself to the Cougars with a three-run shot to extend Park's lead to 4-0.

Muniz put her best foot forward in this game as well with an RBI double to put Park up 5-0 in the fifth inning.

 GAME 3 | (RV) Saint Mary of the Woods | Box Score

Saint Mary of the Woods was desperate for a win against Park, going 0-2 on the previous day. They led Park 3-0 in the first four innings, but Park kept with it with another late-inning awakening of the bats.

Starting in the bottom of the fourth with a Day RBI single, Park scored in three of the last four innings to over take their opponent.

Abbie Farmer is another freshman pitcher who got some time in the circle. She faced adversity in the first inning, allowing two runs to come in. She bounced back in the next two innings with zeros and closed out her day with 4.1 innings pitched with four earned runs to her credit.

Park was down 5-1 in the last three innings and chipped away with a three-spot in the bottom of the fifth off of a two-RBI single, which was followed by a Magee triple to make it a one-run game.
Muniz was called upon for the second time in relief and delivered again for Park with 2.2 innings, striking out three and only allowing one hit.

The fireworks were saved until the bottom of the seventh though, as Lexie Schroeder singled to lead-off the inning. With one away, Austin singled to keep the Pirate hopes alive. And right on queue was the most heroic at-bat of the series by Dani-Quinn Klein, who got her pitch drove a rocket to straight away center for the walk-off three-run home run, 7-5.

Klein had five RBI's in the game and went three-for-four.

Muniz worked her second win of the season, both coming off of late inning runs after holding the opposition.

GAME 4 | Tabor | Box Score

The final game of the series only took five innings, as Park spread Tabor 9-1.

Adrianna Solary, the senior from Independence, Mo., had two starts this weekend and closed out with a complete game on five strikeouts and only one earned run.

Magee again lifted a first inning home run, but this time her teammate, Klein was on first to put Park up by two.

The Pirates only scored in one other inning, but it proved to fatal for the Bluejays, as seven runs poured in the Pirates scoring frenzy.

Within the inning, Park had five hits and took advantage of three errors by Tabor.

Klein, Shelby Sanders, and Schoreder each led Park with two-hit games. Sanders and Schroeder each joined Magee with extra base-hits in the game. Schroeder legged out a double to right-centerfield, while Sanders barely missed a homerun, but settled for a two-RBI triple off the right field fence.