TWENTY-FIVE RUNS HELP AVILA GET SWEEP OVER BETHEL ON SENIOR DAY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Honoring its five seniors, Avila softball used that energy to sweep Bethel on Friday, scoring 25 runs in the process. Avila won 7-0 in game one and picked up an 18-10 victory in game two.

As has been the case for most of the season, the Eagles used exceptional pitching from McKayla Cotton to secure the win in the opening game.

Cotton threw five scoreless innings, allowing just four baserunners before senior Aarilynn Richardson came on in relief to throw two shutout innings to close the game out.

After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Avila's offense began bright and early for the 10 AM first pitch with an Abi Beaman RBI to score Maya Richards.

In the second, Avila got a trio of runs from Emily Branson and senior Ka'Zem Wood. With two runners in scoring position, Branson smacked a double, scoring Jordy Pollo and Cerina Natal. Two batters later, Wood scored Branson on an RBI single of her own.

Senior Julia Douglass notched an RBI single in the third inning to give Avila a 5-0 lead and Beaman picked up her second RBI of the day in the fourth inning on another double to score Wood.

Avila got its seventh run of the day in the bottom of the sixth when Sophia Medina came around to score on a Bethel error.

Wrapping up a 7-0 victory, seven of Avila's nine starting batters recorded at least one hit and all seven runs were scored by a different Eagle baserunner.

Game number two on the day was a different story and a much higher-scoring affair.

While in control on the offensive end the entire game, Avila scored early and often despite double-digit runs from Bethel.

The Threshers put up a two-out run in the top of the first, but Avila answered back immediately with back-to-back runs coming when heads-up baserunning from Laila Rueda off a Bethel error saw her cross the plate and Beaman scored Wood on another RBI double.

Douglass came through again with another double – this time scoring Beaman – and Madison Kelly got in on the action with an RBI single to score Douglass.

Avila held an early 4-1 lead.

Two more runs from Bethel in the second gave opportunity for Avila to answer once again. Three second-inning extra-base hits gave Avila five more runs in the fifth.

In what's becoming routine, Beaman blasted another RBI double, which was followed up by an RBI double from Stephanie Hayes. One batter later, Jaka Sharp blasted a two-run home run over the left field fence to stretch Avila's lead to 9-3.

Hayes would add two more RBI to her tally in the third with a single up the middle to score Pollo and Natal and give Avila double-figures on the scoreboard.

A two-run homer from the Threshers in the fourth shrunk the Eagle lead, but once again, Avila's bats answered, this time Zoleecia Grayson.

Grayson came through with an RBI double of her own. Avila held a 12-5 lead through four innings.

Two more runs in the fifth from Bethel saw the only frame in game number two where Avila was unable to score.

A three-run home run from the Threshers in the sixth inning cut Avila's lead to two, but Avila's offense was ready to walk it off.

The bottom of the sixth inning started with the bases loaded after two walks and a single, setting the table for McKayla Cotton to come on as a pinch-hitter. After her strong pitching in the first game, it was time for her to come through on the offensive end – and that's exactly what she did, emptying the bases on a three-run double, splitting the left and centerfielders as her double rolled all the way to the fence and stretched Avila's lead to 15-10.

Senior Myra Megli added her name to the box score two batters later when she collected an RBI of her own on a single to score Natal.

Back-to-back RBI singles would give Avila a walk-off 18-10 win, with the final hit of the afternoon coming from Douglass – a senior.

In the two total games on Friday, Avila's offense came to bat in 12 innings and the Eagle offense put up at least one run in 10 of 12 frames.

Avila's five offensive seniors: Wood, Lara, Megli and Douglass collected seven hits, five runs and five RBI on the day, while Richardson threw two shutout innings in the opener to help secure two Avila wins.

Additionally the No. 3 and 4 batters in the lineup – Beaman and Hayes – combined to go 7-14 with five extra-base hits, three runs scored and nine RBI.

As a team, Avila stole 14 bases across the two games.

Avila will look to make it five-straight wins on Tuesday afternoon when the Eagles host Friends for a doubleheader beginning at 2 PM from The Z.