Early Runs Carry Spring Arbor Past Missouri Baptist in First Game of Opening Round

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Spring Arbor University softball team scored four runs over the first two innings on its way to a 4-3 victory over Missouri Baptist University on Monday in the first game of the NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round. 

Payton Grange delivered the key hit in a three-run first inning – a two-out, two-RBI knock – to give Spring Arbor an early 3-0 lead. Senior pitcher Emmalee Hamp made the early runs stand up, tossing her 25th complete game of the season in the win.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Spring Arbor 4, Missouri Baptist 3

LOCATION: Lawrenceville, Ga. | Georgia Gwinnett College

RECORDS: Spring Arbor 34-20, Missouri Baptist 33-13

GAME HIGHLIGHTS

• In the top of the first inning, Brooke Meerker drew a two-out walk with the bases loaded to bring in the game's first run. Payton Grange followed with a clutch, two-out hit to bring in two more runs and give SAU a quick 3-0 advantage.
• The Cougars struck again in the second inning when Grace Lentz scored on a base hit by Maddy Thrush to increase the lead to 4-0.
• Emmalee Hamp blanked Missouri Baptist through the first four innings, but the Spartans were able to breakthrough in the fifth inning with a two-run home run from Miranda Ladson.
• Missouri Baptist pushed another run across in the sixth to cut the deficit to one, 4-3.
• In the bottom of the seventh, the Spartans put the tying run on base with two outs, but the runner was caught stealing at second base by SAU catcher Brooke Meeker to end the game.
• Lentz had two of SAU's five hits and scored twice.
• Hamp pitched all seven innings on the way to picking up her 22nd win of the season. She allowed three runs on six hits and struck out six.

UP NEXT

Spring Arbor advances to play the Lawrenceville Bracket's No. 1 seed, Eastern Oregon University, on Tuesday, May 14 at noon.