HEASTER'S FIRST SHUTOUT GIVES SOFTBALL SUNDAY DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – After a tough loss on Saturday night, Avila softball came back on Sunday to win a pair of big early-season games at the Homefield Complex, shutting out Park, 3-0, before defeating Columbia, 5-3.

After a night game on Saturday, Avila had an 11 AM first pitch on Sunday morning. The quick turnaround did not phase the Eagles as Faith Heaster tossed seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits while striking out seven. It was the first collegiate complete game and shutout for sophomore from North Kansas City. 

In the bottom of the third inning, the Eagles got all the offense they would need, with RBI base hits from Abi Beaman and McKayla Cotton to get on the scoreboard and go up 2-0.

Another RBI single from Beaman in the fifth inning gave Avila and Heaster an extra insurance run.

Heaster has been solid in the circle this season, tossing 17.0 innings and allowing just one earned run for a 0.41 ERA.

Avila followed up their success against Park with a game versus Columbia at 1 PM, coming away with a 5-3 win over the Cougars.

The Eagles got in an early hole, falling behind 1-0 after the top of the first before a third-inning Columbia error allowed Emily Harvey and Laila Rueda to score and put Avila on top for the first time in the game.

Avila's lead was short-lived, as Columbia scored two runs on three hits in the bottom of the third to retake the lead, going up 3-2.

Cotton, the game's starting pitcher, would allow just two more hits in the final four innings to help lock down the game for the Eagles.

In the top of the sixth, Avila's senior third baseman, Stephanie Hayes, belted her first home run of the season to tie the game up.

Avila added two more runs to put the game away in the top of the seventh.

Piper Greeson scored Rueda on a sacrifice fly from a popup in foul territory before the next batter, Emily Branson, scored Jaka Sharp for Avila's fifth run of the afternoon.

Hayes and Elizabeth Harvey each had two hits in the contest for Avila, while the bottom of the order (Rueda, Sharp and Harvey) scored four of Avila's five runs in the game, showcasing the speed up and down Avila's lineup.

The Eagles will leave Kansas City for the first time next weekend, heading to Shawnee, Okla., for four games on Saturday and Sunday, beginning with a 12:30 first pitch against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Saturday afternoon.

(photo credit: Ali Nassir)