TWO RUN-RULE WINS ON SOFTBALL’S SENIOR DAY

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Avila softball could not have honored its seniors much better on Saturday at The Z, sweeping Sterling, 11-0 and 10-2, with both games ending in five innings.

Across the two games, Avila recorded 20 hits, seven extra-base hits, 12 stolen bases, while 14 different players scored at least one run, 11 different players drove in at least one run and the Eagle offense put up at least one run in all nine innings in which they came to the plate.

In game one against Sterling, Avila used dominating pitching and dominating offense to shutout the Warriors.

Avila scored twice in the first inning on an RBI single from Madison Kelly. To end the inning, Kelly was caught in a pickle, but Abi Beaman saw the distracted Warrior infield and stole home before Kelly was tagged out. After one, Avila led 2-0.

The second inning saw back-to-back RBI singles from Elizabeth Harvey and Maya Richards to put Avila up 4-0.

A four-spot from the Eagles in the third inning began with back-to-back bases-loaded walks from Sophia Medina and Tehani Chinen. After a Sterling pitching change, Richards notched her second and third RBI of the game with a two-run single up the middle. After three, Avila led 8-0.

Looking to wrap the game up, Avila scored two more in the fourth inning from a two-run double from Kelly and its third-bases loaded walk, this time from freshman Carlee Shelter.

In three of the five innings in game one, Avila pitching sent Sterling batters down 1-2-3. The Eagles got 3.0 outstanding innings in the circle from McKayla Cotton, striking out five, and 2.0 shutdown innings from Mackenzie Daniels.

Game two was much of the same for Avila, scoring in each of their five innings at bat and allowing just one earned run in the circle.

A bases-loaded walk – Avila's fourth of the day – from Kelly and an RBI single from Hayes opened the scoring for Avila in the first inning. Another 2-0 lead for Avila after the first.

An RBI double from Emily Branson in the second inning set the table for Avila's No. 3 hitter, Abi Beaman, to hit her first home run of the season in the second inning to push Avila's lead to 4-0.

Avila added another run in the third inning and scored two more in the fourth. Zoleecia Grayson scored on an error after a bad throw following a single from Richards gave Avila its sixth run of the game. Beaman scored Richards on an RBI double two batters later to go up 8-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Jaka Sharp walked the game off with a two-run double that rolled all the way to the left centerfield wall, scoring Laila Rueda and Emily Collins to give Avila a 10-2 victory and a doubleheader sweep on Senior Day.

Avila's eight-person senior class of McKayla Cotton, Mackenzie Daniels, Samantha Gatica, Zoleecia Grayson, Stephanie Hayes, Sophia Medina, Jordan Pollo and Maya Richards dominated the doubleheader. The seniors combined to tally nine hits, seven runs scored, five RBI, three walks, six stolen bases and pitch five shutout innings, striking out six Warrior batters.

Additionally, Avila's two graduating juniors – Emily Branson and Marissa Espinoza – scored three of Avila's 21 total runs in the doubleheader. 

It was also a pair of underclassmen who helped Avila to the big KCAC win – Beaman and Kelly. The two sophomores combined to go 6-for-7 across the two games, with three runs scored, seven RBI, three walks and two stolen bases.

Avila (28-17, 17-7 KCAC) has two regular seasons games remaining before the KCAC Tournament. The Eagles will wrap up their regular season on Tuesday versus York. First pitch of the doubleheader from The Z will begin at 2 PM.

 (photo credit: Shomari Finch)