UNO 7, Truman 0
UNO 4, Truman 0
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. - The 7th-ranked UNO softball team earned a share of the MIAA regular-season title on Monday after a 7-0, 4-0 sweep at Truman.
The Mavericks (41-9) finished the season with an 18-4 conference record, the same as Missouri Western and Emporia State. The three teams all earned a share of the title, marking the second year in a row the Mavs have earned a split of the regular-season championship. It also marks the 12th regular-season conference title for the Mavs since they joined the NCC in 1981.
Missouri Western will be the No. 1 seed entering Thursday's MIAA Conference Tournament in Overland Park, Kan., because of their 3-1 record against the Mavs and Hornets. Emporia State will be the second seed, and UNO will be the third seed and face Central Missouri in Thursday night's opening round.
Following a weekend setback in which the Mavs went 1-3 and lost sole possession of the standings lead, UNO came out strong in game one with all seven runs coming in the first four innings against Truman.
Lauren Larson had three RBIs on two singles, and
Molly Negrete hit a two-run single with the bases loaded. Larson finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs for UNO, while Negrete went 3-for-4 with two RBIs for the first multi-hit game of her career.
Beth Haley carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning but gave up a lead-off single for Truman's only hit of the game. Haley finished with eight strikeouts and one walk.
In game two, the Mavs jumped on the Bulldogs early again, as
Molly Feichtinger doubled home
Jamie Nash - pinch-running after
Amber Lutmer's double - and
Alli Hukill, who had walked, for a 2-0 Maverick lead after two. The Mavs added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings on an RBI single by
Lindsey Slocum and a Negrete run off an error, respectively, for a 4-0 lead.
The All-American Slocum also pitched a complete-game two-hitter. Slocum struck out eight and walked one while taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
Feichtinger finished 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while
Katelyn Hinton, Slocum and Lutmer each had two hits. In the two games combined, UNO outhit Truman 25 to 5.
UNO and Central Missouri will square off at 6 p.m., on Thursday at Blue Valley Sports Complex in Overland Park, Kan. The Mavericks will play their second-round or consolation game immediately after at 8 p.m.
MIAA Conference Tournament Pairings
Thurs.-Sat., May 5-7
Blue Valley Sports Complex, Overland Park, Kan.
Double-elimination format
Thursday's First Round
All first round games at 6 p.m. on Thursday
(1) Missouri Western vs. (8) Washburn
(4) Missouri Southern vs. (5) Northwest Missouri State
(2) Emporia State vs. (7) Fort Hays State
(3) UNO vs. (6) Central Missouri
