WBU Sweeps Mission on Senior Day

WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. (4/27/24) - The Williams Baptist softball team wrapped up its regular season with a sweep of Mission University Saturday afternoon as it celebrated senior day at WBU Softball Field. 

The Lady Eagles defeated the Patriots 12-0 in five innings in game one and then won a pitchers duel in game two 2-0 to earn the sweep on the day. With the victories, WBU finished the season with a 33-15 overall mark and will enter the American Midwest Conference Tournament as the No. 3 seed. 

After the doubleheader, Williams honored Madison Knight, Krista Jones, Maddie Wallace, Megan Petty, Laila Byas, Sara Pruitt, Naomi Boyer, Kennedy Johnson, Maddi Altenthal and Bianca Pettus for their dedication and contribution to the Lady Eagles softball program in a senior day ceremony. 

In game one, Williams used a nine-run third inning to break the game open. After scoring two runs in the first inning on a Madyson Shoebottom home run, the squad batted around in the third to take an 11-0 lead.

Madison Knight got things going in the inning when she reached on a bunt single to the catcher that allowed a run to score from third and Paige Thomas followed with an RBI single to right to push the lead to 4-0.

Maddi Altenthal brought in two runs on a triple to right field and Kennedy Johnson hit a 2-run home to center field to give WBU an 8-0 advantage. Megan Petty later singled to left brought in Kaylee Wolfe and Shoebottom reached on an error that allowed Petty to score for the inning's final run.

Emberlin Caldwell was nearly unhittable in five innings of work, yielding just two hits and striking out six. 

In game two, Shoebottom hit her second home run of the day in the bottom of the first inning on a two-run blast to left field and Maddie Wallace did the rest inside the circle as the Lady Eagles secured the sweep.

Wallace picked up her second victory of the year and was also untouchable in 6+ innings of work. She gave up just two hits and had seven strikeouts before giving way to Morgan Garner in the seventh, who picked up her first save of the year. 

The Lady Eagles will take on No. 6 William Woods in the opening round of the AMC Championship Tournament on Tuesday, April 30 at Noon in Columbia, Mo.