Softball splits conference opener against Mustangs

Ravens Softball split their Heart of America Conference opening doubleheader at home Saturday.

The Ravens lost the opener, 5-4, then came back and took Game 2, 10-5.

Game 1

Despite leading most of the opener, the Ravens let Game 1 slip away late in the game.

The Ravens got on the board in the bottom of the third. Megan Forsman led off the inning with a single to right field and then Alena Velilla launched a 2-run home run to left field to put the Ravens in front, 2-0.

The Mustangs answered with a run in the top of the fourth to cut the Ravens lead in half.

Another homer gave the Ravens 2 more runs in the fifth inning. Riley Kennedy bunted for a single and Ryan Cooper brought her home with a 2-run shot to left field.

MMU refused to go away, though, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to again cut the Ravens lead to 1 run.

The Mustangs scratched across another 2 runs in the seventh inning as Rylee Goodfellow singled home two runners facing a 2-strike count with 2 outs to give MMU a 5-4 lead. Both runs were unearned after an error earlier in the inning.

The Ravens got a runner on in the bottom of the seventh but were unable to find a way to tie the game, losing 5-4.

Bailey Selvage (6-7) struck out 5 batters in 7 innings of work, allowing just 3 earned runs.

Game 2

MMU plated 4 runs in the first inning of the second game, putting the Ravens behind early, but the home side had an answer in the bottom of the first.

Chloe Strickland, Rhiannon Martin singled, and Amanda Waymire walked to load the bases. Kaelyn Fisher singled home Strickland, then Alma Garcia doubled off the left field fence to score two more runs. That was followed by a double from Kennedy that scored 2 more runs, then Kennedy scored on a single by Forsman. When the dust settled, the Ravens held a 6-4 lead after one inning of play.

The Mustangs scored one in the second inning, but Cooper doubled home 2 runs in the bottom of the third to push the Ravens lead to 8-5.

The Ravens added 2 more runs in the sixth on a Waymire single and Garcia sacrifice fly to give them a 5-run cushion entering the seventh inning. That was more than enough for Lily SinghDhillon (7-2) as she gave up just 2 earned runs in a complete-game effort, striking out 9 batters.

The Ravens (16-12, 1-1 Heart) will remain home for a 1 p.m. Sunday, March 23 doubleheader against Clarke University.

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