Lady Pioneers trade wins with Trojans

April 5, 2022

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

HANNIBAL, Mo. – Crowley's Ridge softball picked up their ninth win of the season 8-6 thanks to a late home run before falling to the hosting Hannibal-LaGrange (Mo.) University Trojans in game two 8-4.

Game One

Crowley's Ridge – 8

Hannibal-LaGrange – 6

Crowley's Ridge (9-22, 0-2 CAC) found themselves down by three in the bottom of the first inning before the bats woke up for a six-run third.

After Shelby Elrod singled, April Kennedy's single placed Elrod 60 feet away. A stolen base from Kennedy spooked the Hannibal-LaGrange (8-16, 5-1 AMC) pitcher, who tossed a wild pitch that allowed Elrod to score and moved Kennedy to third base. Jocelyn Villareal would draw a walk and swipe second to watch Rachel Russel drive a pitch into left field to plate Kennedy. Villareal would touch home plate on the next pitch when Layne Tedder beat the throw on an RBI single to first base. The big hit came off of the bat of Maddie Reed, whose two-bagger drove in both Russell and Tedder. A misplayed ball in centerfield allowed Reed to score the sixth run of the inning to swing momentum completely CRC's way.

HLGU would not go quietly, chipping away at CRC's lead by scoring one run in each of the next three innings to tie affairs 6-6 after five complete innings.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, Kennedy kept the inning alive with a single into right-center field. That life breath continued to the bat of Villareal, who blasted her second homer in as many games to put the Lady Pioneers on top for good 8-6.

Elrod (6-10) struck out two Trojans in the game one victory.

Kennedy was joined by Kylie Cox to lead the Lady 'Neers with three hits each. Reed and Villareal followed with a pair of base knocks each.

Game Two

Crowley's Ridge – 4

Hannibal-LaGrange – 8

A late push by Crowley's Ridge (9-23, 0-3 CAC) fell short in game two in part due to a five-run fourth inning from the hosts.

The Lady Pioneers got on the board first when McKenzie Crofford (running for Lacey Lambright-Southern after a single) wrapped around to score thanks to April Kennedy's RBI single. Hannibal-LaGrange (9-16, 5-1 AMC) would answer with two runs in their half of the third.

The Trojans extended their lead after a leadoff walk sparked an inning that saw the hosts scoring five runs off of three hits. 

Jocelyn Villareal took advantage of an error from the Trojan defense by scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning before Rachel Russell was hit by a pitch, later scoring to lessen the sting of a double play.

Brooklyn Melson started the top of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit single, rounding the bases to score on Maddie Reed's RBI groundout. The girls in green could not muster more runs to split the day with the Trojans taking game two 8-4.

Abby Ewing (1-3) and Halea Wells both tossed three innings each with Wells punching out two batters in relief of Ewing's start.

Lacey Lambright-Southern went 2-for-2 from the dish in game two - the only Lady Pioneer with multiple hits.

Up Next

Crowley's Ridge will return to the Show-Me State for a Continental Athletic Conference round-robin hosted by Cottey (Mo.) College. The Lady Pioneers will hunt for their first conference win against three CAC opponents on Friday, April 8, and Saturday, April 9.

Friday, April 8

CRC vs. Haskell Indian Nations (Kan.) University – 11:00 a.m. 

CRC vs. Cottey College – 4:00 p.m.

Saturday, April 9

CRC vs. Bacone (Okla.) College – 9:00 a.m.

CRC vs. Iowa Wesleyan University – 1:00 p.m.