Lady Vikings win three of four on HAAC road

The Missouri Valley College softball team has earned a couple of days of rest after playing four Heart of America Conference doubleheaders in four days this week, the last three on the road.

From Kansas City on Tuesday, across the state to St. Charles, and then heading a different direction to Lamoni, Iowa, the Lady Vikings became Queens of the Road -- winning four games, the last three in a row.

There was the ignominy of being no-hit by Lindenwood senior Katy Wine during Wednesday's opener, a 4-0 loss. Wine walked two batters, and two more reached on errors, but Valley wasn't able to break through.

The Lady Lions clung to a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the sixth, when they put up three runs -- junior Sam Van Pelt getting an RBI single and scoring during the rally.

The Lady Vikings claimed the nightcap, 10-6, on the back of a nine-run fourth inning. Senior Heather Sliger cracked a two-run homer and freshman Cassidy Baggett delivered a pinch single which knocked in a pair of runs.

Lindenwood (26-22, 6-4 HAAC) scored twice in the third and four times in the fifth, sophomore Miranda Schlosser drilling a two-run shot and junior Dani Merli banging out an RBI double among her three hits.

Valley's pitching came through Thursday during a sweep at Graceland, allowing only one run.

Junior Tatum Hathcock scattered six hits for her 15th win of the season in the first game, a 2-1 decision. Senior Sarah Lippold was nearly as effective for the Lady Yellowjackets, but was tagged with an unearned run which proved to be the difference.

Senior Kimberly Fuller drove in a run for the Lady Vikings with a single and junior Janae Borrego had three hits.

Freshman Janie Jungerman tossed a four-hit shutout in the late game, striking out four and walking none during a 2-0 Valley victory.

Fuller doubled and scored on a single by senior Esperanza Reyes and Borrego had a base hit to plate junior Edna Gutierrez.

Junior Jessica Brady was the hard-luck loser for Graceland (6-23, 2-10), yielding seven hits.

The Lady Vikings (26-19, 11-7), who remain in third place in the league standings, close out the regular season at home Sunday against William Jewell.