Lady Eagles Win Thriller, Split with Missouri Baptist

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (4/5/24) - The Williams Baptist softball earned a split with Missouri Baptist after winning 1-0 in walk-off fashion in game one and then falling 9-2 in game two. 

With the split, the Lady Eagles are now 22-12 and 5-1 in the American Midwest Conference and are in third place in the league standings.

Game one was a pitcher's duel as both sides struggled to find any success at the plate. Morgan Garner scattered seven hits across seven innings and struck out three to keep the Spartan's offensive attack at bay to allow her team to have an opportunity for a dramatic walk-off victory in the seventh inning.

Kennedy Johnson led off the inning with a walk and lifted for Victoria Corker to pinch run. Natalia Watkins followed with a single through the right side that allowed Corker to move into scoring position at third.

Following a strike out and a stolen base, Maddi Altenthal stepped up to the plate and laid down a bunt in front of home plate. As the Spartans threw to first base in an attempt to get the out, Corker took off for home and slid in just in front of the tag and the throwback to home plate for the 1-0 victory.

Missouri Baptist jumped to a 5-0 lead with a run in the first and four more in the second to put pressure on the Lady Eagles' offense, which continued to string together hits. The lead grew to 7-0 going into the sixth inning.

WBU broke through in the bottom half of the sixth when Madyson Shoebottom and Johnson produced back-to-back RBI singles to cut the deficit to 7-2, but the Spartans responded with two more runs in the top of the seventh to set the final. 

The Lady Eagles continue their homestand on Saturday with a doubleheader matchup against Hannibal-LaGrange. The first pitch is set for Noon.