The first game was scoreless until the top of the third inning when Shawnee State (11-10, 3-7 AMC South) pushed across a run after the first two batters of the inning were retired as Tammie Jo Coleman drew a walk and came around to score on an RBI-double by Lauren Ellis to give the Lady Bears a 1-0 lead.

The score remained that way until the bottom of the fifth inning when MVNU (14-6, 5-3 AMC South) was able to knot the score at 1-1 when sophomore outfielder Lauretta Wallace (left) lined a one-out triple to center and came in on a two-out single by sophomore shortstop Tasha Konkle.

With the score still tied at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Wallace hustled for a double down the leftfield line to start off the inning for the Lady Cougars. After junior outfielder Whitney Clark was hit by a pitch, Konkle reached on a fielder’s choice as Shawnee State pitcher Lori Harmon made a throw in the dirt trying to get Wallace at third that loaded the bases with no outs.

One out later, sophomore outfielder Leslie Banichar ripped a single over the head of Katie Wade, who had moved in shallow in centerfield in the event that MVNU tried to score on a sacrifice fly. The ball rolled all the way to the fence to clear the bases, but Banichar was only credited with a walk-off RBI-single as the Lady Cougars prevailed 2-1.

Senior right-hander Kristin Eyerman (8-1) avenged her only loss of the year as she picked up the win by allowing just five hits, four walks, and one run over seven innings with five strikeouts.

Harmon (5-5) took the loss as she gave up 10 hits and two runs over 6.1 innings with four strikeouts.

Wallace paced MVNU at the plate by going 3-for-3 with a single, double, triple, and two runs scored. Sophomore designated player Staci Graham and freshman second baseman Kristin Kurelic also added two hits apiece.

The second game was a pitching duel between junior right-hander Candace White (right) (6-4) for the Lady Cougars and Shawnee State’s Katie Daniel. The pair matched each other shutout inning for shutout inning through the first five innings although the Lady Bears did threaten with four base runners stranded during that time.

After White retired the side in order in the top of the sixth inning, MVNU mounted its biggest threat of the game to that point in the bottom of the sixth inning as Konkle and Kurelic both singled to start the inning and moved up on a wild pitch.

One out later, Konkle scampered home on a run-scoring ground out by junior third baseman Karly Clay to put the Lady Cougars in front 1-0. Graham followed with a double to left center to plate Kurelic with an insurance run to make it 2-0.

Shawnee State did not go down quietly in the top of the seventh inning as Harmon dropped a single just inside the rightfield line with one out. Daniel followed with a line drive single down the leftfield line that looked like it was head for the corner for sure extra bases. However, Clark got her body in front of the ball and held Daniel to a single as the runners were forced to hold at first and second.

From there, White closed the door to pick up her second shutout of the year as she struck Mandy Messer out looking and got a ground ball back to the mound off the bat of Ashley Speas to end the game.

White scattered seven hits over seven innings with no walks as she struck out five batters in picking up the win. Meanwhile, Daniel took the loss despite allowing just five hits and two runs over six innings with two strikeouts and no walks.

Five different players registered a hit for MVNU with Graham’s double being the lone extra base hit of the game. Harmon led the Lady Bears by going 2-for-2.

The Lady Cougars are scheduled to return to action on Thursday when MVNU will travel to Cedarville University for another AMC South Division doubleheader that is scheduled to begin at 3:00 p.m.