Eagles Sweep Coyotes in Salina

SALINA, Kan. – Three Eagle pitchers combined to permit just two runs over two games, and Avila softball (21-12, 8-2 KCAC) won both legs of the doubleheader on Saturday afternoon in Salina, picking up a pair of quality wins over Kansas Wesleyan (10-19, 5-7 KCAC) and improving to 8-2 to start conference plan in 2023.

Offense was hard to come by in both games of the doubleheader Saturday: there was only one inning where either team scored more than one run, and that was a 6-run fifth inning in game one that was essential to providing the final margin. The Eagles then managed only one run in the top of the first inning in game two, but that was all the offense the duo of Samantha Smith and Chaunelle Penn needed in a 1-0 Avila victory that sealed the sweep.

Both teams' leadoff hitters did their jobs early in game one: Chelsea Kurtz reached to lead off the game and scored a run in the top of the first and Josie Buhr did the same in the bottom half, evening the score at one apiece. That's where the score remained for the next few innings as ace pitchers Miranda Fogal and Payton Walter settled into grooves – at least until the Eagles broke things open in the fifth.

After McKayla Cotton led off the frame with a walk, Jordy Pollo came in to run and swiftly scored on a double by Kennedee Lara. And that was just the start. Lara scored on a Coyote error, extending the inning, and after the Eagles loaded the bases with two outs Stephanie Hayes cleared them with the biggest hit of the game, a double down the left field line. Julia Douglass then legged out a double driving home Hayes, extending Avila's lead out to 7-1 after one huge inning.

Kansas Wesleyan threatened in the seventh and was able to bring one run across, but Walter locked it down and recorded the final two outs to seal up a 7-2 win for the Eagles, Walter's tenth victory of the campaign. Kurtz and Lara combined for four hits and three runs scored.

When both teams took the field for game two Kurtz quickly got back to work as the Eagles' table-setter, singling to lead off the game, adding to her KCAC lead with a pair of stolen bases, and scoring on a Brooke Belflower groundout.

That was the only run the Eagles would score against KWU #2 pitcher Jewell Henry, but it proved to be the only run the Eagles would need. Smith paved the way with her best start of the season, a shutout over five-plus innings in which she allowed only three hits, all of which were singles. With one runner on in the sixth Penn entered and faced immediate pressure with runners on second and third – but Penn picked up the final two outs in the sixth and then got the final three outs in the seventh to earn her second save and preserve a tense 1-0 win for the Eagles, completing the sweep. Hayes and Ka'Zem Wood both notched a pair of hits in the game.

Now 8-2 in league play, Avila softball will next return home to The Z to face rivals Bethany on Wednesday, April 5. The doubleheader is slated to start at 2 PM; as always, you can watch all the action on the Avila Sports Network.