HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – For the second straight day the Kentucky Wesleyan College softball team posted a win in extras en route to a 2-0 day at day two of the Music City Invitational. With wins over Truman State and Lindenwood, the Panthers improve to 4-4 on the season.
Game One: Kentucky Wesleyan 4 – Truman State2 (8 innings)
Kentucky Wesleyan got on the board first with a pair of runs in the third innings. Meredith Daunhauer reached first on a fielding error by the third basemen, then advanced to third after stealing second and taking advantage of a wild pitch. With runners on the corner, Jaylin Tidwell grounded out, but was able to bring in Daunhauer and move Maddie Dawson into scoring position. Facing two outs and one runner on, Alexis Mullen knocked a single to right field to score Dawson and put the Panthers ahead 2-0.
Truman State scored one run each in the third and fifth inning to knot the game at two. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, the Bulldogs had the winning run 60 feet away. Autumn Grady forced two pop outs to extinguish the threat and force extra innings.
Jamie Tempel was placed on second base to start the eighth inning and reached third on a bunt single from Daunhauer. Daunhauer stole second to put two runners in scoring position with no outs. Dawson ripped a single to center field to drive in both runners and put Kentucky Wesleyan ahead 4-2.
It was three-up and three-down for the Bulldogs in the bottom of the eighth, allowing the Panthers to hold on for their second win in extra innings in two days.
Dawson finished game one two-for-four at the plate with two runs driven in and scoring one herself. Nease went two-for-three while Daunhauer led the way with two runs scored.
Grady went the distance in her second win of the season, pitching 8.0 innings and striking out six while not allowing any walks.
Game Two: Lindenwood 4 – Kentucky Wesleyan 8
The Panthers trailed 3-2 after four innings, but four runs off of three hits in the fifth inning put them ahead for good. A sacrifice bunt from Dawson put two runners in scoring position with one out. Tidwell notched a single down the right field line to clear the bases and regain a one-run lead. Mullen knocked one out of the park for her third home run of the season, putting the Panthers ahead 6-3.
Kentucky Wesleyan kept rolling in the sixth inning, scoring a pair of runs on a double from Daunhauer and a single from Dawson to go up 8-3. Lindenwood tacked on one run in the top of the seventh but their rally was cut off.
Daunhauer finished game two three-for-four with two runs and two runs batted in. Tidwell and Mullen both when two-for-four with two runs batted in while Dawson finished two-for-three.
Maci Brown earned her first win of the season after going the distance. The sophomore struck out four in 7.0 innings while allowing four runs off of four hits.
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