OWENSBORO, Ky. – The Kentucky Wesleyan softball team earned a Senior Day win on Sunday at Foster Field to close out the 2026 season.
After the game two victory, the Panthers celebrated their three seniors with their final trips around the bases: Chloe Apple, Kennedy Matheis, and Lauren Pellerito.
Down 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, Matheis, who was yesterday's hero with her walk-off home run, got hit by a pitch to get the rally started. Paige Crain next worked a walk before Hannah Beasley attempted a sacrifice bunt. The Arrows' pitcher fielded it cleanly but overthrew her first basemen, allowing Matheis to score and putting Beasley and Crain in scoring position. Abby Cunningham came up next and grounded out to the right side to allow Crain to score. Pellerito followed by reaching on an error and driving in Beasley to put Wesleyan in front. Finally, after Cami Cox recorded an infield single, Bailey Markus reached on yet another Ursuline error to allow Pellerito to score and send KWC to the final three innings with a 5-3 advantage.
Thanks to some marvelous pitching by Riley Cunningham that score held until the Panthers were able to tack on in the bottom of the sixth. Cox was hit by a pitch, Markus again reached on an error, and the pitcher helped herself with a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners over. After the Arrows earned the first out, Matheis came through with a single up the middle to plate Cox. Crain was next hit by a pitch to load the bases for Beasley, who also came through with a single to center field that drove in two more runs and gave Wesleyan some much needed breathing room at 8-3.
The Arrows got two runs back in the top of the seventh, but Riley Cunningham stayed resilient and shut the door on UC with three consecutive forced groundouts in the Panthers' 8-5 triumph.
Both Matheis and Crain led the way with two hits each in the win. Beasley and Pellerito came up clutch with two RBIs each.
Cunningham earned the win, allowing just two runs in 5.0 innings pitched with two strikeouts.
Game one was a competitive battle between the two programs to begin the day. After a scoreless first inning, Wesleyan got the scoring started in the bottom of the second. Crain and Beasley both singled to put two on for Abby Cunningham, who came through with her own single to drive in Crain and put the Panthers up 1-0.
The Arrows responded with three runs in the top of the third, using several singles and a triple to take a 3-1 advantage.
Wesleyan had their own response in the bottom half. Cox reached on an error to lead the frame off before Markus laid down a bunt to move Cox over to second. After Cox stole third, Riley Cunningham singled through the left side to plate Cox. Later in the inning, Matheis ripped another KWC single up the middle to drive in Cunningham and tie the game 3-3.
That score held until the top of the sixth, in which Ursuline scored a run before adding two more in the top of the seventh. In the bottom of the seventh, Pellerito led off with a single but the Panthers could not put together a rally in the 6-3 defeat.
Matheis and Beasley each had two hits in the effort. All four of Riley Cunningham, Crain, Abby Cunningham, and Pellerito had one hit each.
Riley Cunningham had another strong start on the mound as well, allowing just two earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched.
Visit kwcpanthers.com/give today to make a gift to Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics! Gifts can be directed to general athletics, our athletic endowment, or any of our 14 NCAA Division II programs.
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCPanthers on X and Instagram and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page. Also, the Panthers Mobile App is available on iTunes and Android featuring real-time news alerts, schedules, exclusive multimedia content, gameday details and more.
