Park University's softball team is on a spectacular pace to 2023 with an undefeated start extended in Fulton, Mo. against William Woods University on Tuesday.
The Pirates are now 8-0 to begin the year, which continues to be the longest undefeated stretch to date for Park softball. William Woods of the American Midwest Conference after this series are at 2-12 on the year.
The Spires came into the matchup with a 4-3 record on the season, hailing from the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference.
The Pirates had four extra base-hits between both games, while the Owls were able to have six. Each of those six came in game one.
The Pirates had 10 hits in game one and bumped up to 14 in game two. As a staff, Park struck out 24 Owls, an even 12 in each game.
In game one, Park went out to a 1-0 lead after a
Halle Magee triple scored Dani Klein. The Pirates tacked on another run in the second from a ball hit to the shortstop by
Brooke Conner, capitalizing on an Owl error to begin the inning.
Three runs in the next two innings came in for the home team, as three doubles got the wheels rolling.
Adrianna Solary got the start for Park and struck out three hitters in her 2.1 innings pitched before
Nia Muniz took over in the circle. Muniz was able to retire two Owls in the third inning to keep the damage minimal. Muniz earned the win and had six strikeouts in 3.2 innings pitched.
With a 3-2 score, Park scored five runs in the next two innings.
Lexie Schroeder earned a sacrifice fly to leftfield in the fourth, while a
Shelby Sanders double scored two Pirates in the fifth.
Gracie Erickson followed up Sanders with an RBI single as well.
A two-run home run offered the Owls a glimmer of hope in the bottom of the sixth, but
Lauren Fiene struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh for the save.
Park's one through three holes,
Macee Austin, Klein, and Magee; plus Erickson each had two-hit days.
The second game did not resemble the first in the slightest, as Park breezed past the Owls with 14 hits and in the field,
Lauren Fiene came back to start game two with 11 strike outs in six innings.
Fiene only allowed two hits to a William Woods team, who looked to be putting things together the game before. She earned her third win of the season and averaged two strikeouts per inning between both games.
Defense was a strong suit for Park. Errorless in the field and riding a pitcher that is dealing put the pressure on the other side. Park scored their first two runs off singles from
Kali Day and Sanders, but then two errors allowed another two runs to score for Park, quickly pushing the lead to 4-0.
It would be quiet for most the rest of the game, but Schroeder and James broke the silence with RBI singles in the fifth and seventh, respectively.
Muniz was the only Pirate with an extra base-hit in game two with a triple and Sanders was the only player to earn three hits in the game.
Seven games await Park in Cocoa, Fla. for the Spring Space Coast Games from Saturday through Tuesday, March 4 through 7. Coverage for these events may be limited.
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