Lady Vikings split at Avila

KANSAS CITY -- Avila scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Tuesday to prevent a Heart of America Conference sweep by the Missouri Valley College softball team.

The Lady Vikings put up four runs during the top of the frame in the 11-10 nightcap to erase a two-run deficit after surrendering four runs in the sixth.

Junior Sydney Kaneshiro hit her fifth homer of the season, four in the last nine games, and drove in three runs to lead Valley's 15-hit attack. Senior Kristine Escujuri knocked in two runs with a pair of hits and senior Kimberly Fuller and junior Kelly Smith each had two hits and scored twice.

The Lady Eagles (6-19, 3-7 HAAC) got homers from junior Courtney Ryan and freshman Emilee Bickleman, but the big damage was done by sophomore Melissa Hurtado with three hits, two runs and four RBIs.

The Lady Vikings won the opener, 4-1, behind the three-hit pitching of junior Tatum Hathcock -- who walked only one batter and struck out eight. Valley scored two runs in both the second and sixth innings, junior Janae Borrego getting three hits and scoring twice and Fuller adding a pair of singles.

Kaneshiro, Smith and senior Esperanza Reyes plated runs for the Lady Vikings (23-18, 8-6) -- who be in action for the third day in a row today at Lindenwood.