LOUISVILLE, KY -- Blackburn College softball visited Spalding University Saturday for a St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference doubleheader and came away with a split. After dropping the first game 3-2, they picked up their sixth shutout of the year in the second game with a 6-0.
Junior Grace Mackey finished the day with a team-best three runs batted in along with two hits and a double. Senior Mckenzie Smith tied with senior Holly Heuerman with three hits each. Smith added two RBI's a double and a run while Heuerman chipped in with two runs a double and an RBI. Freshman Shelby Koeing, sophomore Zoe Mitchell and freshman Kenadee Frey all had two hits. Frey also posted two runs with Mitchell scoring once.
Koeing also added six strikeouts from the pitching circle in the first game. Senior Taylor Girth threw a complete-game shutout in the nightcap.
Blackburn got on the scoreboard first. Heuerman and junior Julianna Tabian both walked to bring up Mackey. Mackey singled then advanced to second on an error that scored Heuerman. Spalding responded with a run in the fourth and fifth inning and held a 2-1 lead into the sixth.
Mitchell tied the game in the sixth with a bunt that ended up forcing another Spalding error that got Mitchell to third and scored junior Miley Kwiatkowski. Unfortunately, the Golden Eagles added a third run in the bottom of the sixth to capture the 3-2 victory.
In the nightcap the Beavers scored early and used it to power to victory. The first inning saw Frey single with one out to give BC a runner. She then advanced to second on a ground out by Mitchell and got to third on a wild pitch. Smith walked and Tabian reached first after getting hit by a pitch to load the bases. Heuerman followed with a single to score Frey and put Blackburn ahead 1-0. Mackey came up next and doubled to left center which scored Smith, Tabian and Heuerman and put the Beavers ahead 4-0.
The second inning saw Frey get on from a Spalding error then a Mitchell single followed by a Golden Eagle error put Frey on third and Mitchell on second with Smith coming up. Smith hit a double to left center and scored both Frey and Mitchell to move Blackburn ahead 6-0.
The team held Spalding scoreless throughout the game to capture the 6-0 win.
Blackburn moves to 10-12 on the season and are now 1-3 in the SLIAC while Spalding is now 13-13 on the year and 5-1 in league play. The Beavers return to action Wednesday by visiting Knox College for a nonconference matchup.