Softball Sweeps Principia on Senior Day to Clinch Postseason Appearance

CARLINVILLE, IL - - Blackburn College Softball hosted Principia college in St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference double header Sunday Afternoon sweeping Principia college, 7-0 and 19-1.

The sweep put the Beavers in a tie with Westminster College for the fifth seed and secured the team a spot in the SLIAC Conference Tournament. As part of the doubleheader, the team also honored their seniors, Caroline Gibson, Shelby Koenig, Sierra Hiser, Brianna Melchor, Michelle Hollon, Kailynn Kruep, and Zoe Mitchell. 

In the first game of the series, both teams were even through the first two innings, but the Beavers took the lead in the bottom of the third. Hiser singled to left field. Kruep came up to the plate and hit her third home run of the season to left field scoring Hiser.

The Beavers eventually added four more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman Kharma Giles started the inning off hot with a solo home run. Then Hiser singled up the middle scoring Hollon. Mitchell singled to left center scoring Gibson and Kruep.

Later in the bottom of the 6th, the Beavers decided to scratch one more run, when junior Kenadee Frey singled, scoring Hiser making it a 7-0 final score.

Koenig would get the win as she threw seven innings with seven strikeouts and allowed just three hits.

The nightcap saw Blackburn score early with Gibson scoring a run in the first inning when Kruep scored on a ball hit by Gibson. The Beavers added eight more in the second inning. The first At bat of the inning Frey smashing a homer to left field. Melchor doubled to shortstop and scored Koenig after she had got on base due to a fielder's choice. A three-run homerun from Kruep scored Melchor, and Hiser. Gibson got on with a walk then scored on a wild pitch. Freshman Addison Ruyle reached first on an error by shortstop allowing Mitchell to score. A single from Melchor scored Frey and made it 9-0.

Principia scored their first run of the day in the top of third but the Beavers answered with 10 more runs on the board in the bottom of the 3rd. Frey hit a double down the left field line scoring Gibson and Hiser. Ruyle doubled to left center scoring in Frey and Mitchell. Melchor singled to left field scoring Ruyle. After that Hiser singled down the right field line scoring in Keonig. With bases loaded, Gibson hit a GRAND SLAM to finalize the scoring and made it 19-1.

The teams went scoreless the rest of the game to give BC the 19-1 win. Hollon would end up getting the win for the Beavers as pitched 5 innings, allowing one earned run and getting four strikeouts.

The Beavers will enter postseason play with their SLIAC Quarterfinals at Webster on Tuesday afternoon.