The Baker University softball team is now 18-11 this season after sweeping Ottawa University March 31 and splitting with conference opponent Benedictine College on Monday.
The Wildcats defeated the Ottawa Braves by scores of 8-2 and 6-0, with junior Jana Smith only giving up one hit in the 6-0 shutout. Baker won the first game against the Benedictine Ravens Monday in the bottom of the eighth inning by a count of 2-1. Senior third baseman Jade Geuther stepped up to the plate and drove the ball to right field to give the ‘Cats the victory. In the second game, the teams were scoreless until Benedictine scored a run in the fifth and another in the seventh. The Wildcats never recovered and suffered their eleventh defeat of the season.
Assistant Coach Megan Jones said the team scored when they needed to in the first, but couldn’t find a way to do so in the second game.
“We did a good job offensively,” Jones said. “A lot of hits didn’t drop and that was why it was so close. Jana pitched a really good game and we played really good defense. In the second game, we just couldn’t execute when we needed to.”
The Wildcats stranded eight runners in the second game of the double header, which was a major reason for the loss, said junior short stop Kendra Cody.
“We didn’t hit,” Cody said. “We had bases loaded with one out and couldn’t score a run.”
Cody said the main reason for some of the team’s recent losses is the inconsistent play.
“Our consistency in hitting is the main thing we need to work on,” she said. “We have the competitiveness, but we just need to get consistent.”
Smith, who got the victory for the team in the first game, giving up only one run, said the team played really well in certain aspects of the game.
“Overall, defensively we were as solid as we have been this season,” Smith said. “We came through at the end and got runners when we needed to.”
The junior from Topeka said the Wildcats really need to work on their hitting.
“We’ve been hot and cold offensively,” she said. “We need to step it up and focus on being more consistent.”
The softball team, now 5-3 in conference, played Wednesday against Graceland University and is set to play in Springfield, Mo., against Evangel University Saturday.