Lady Cougars Complete Sweep of Lancers
MOUNT VERNON, Ohio. - The Mount Vernon Nazarene University softball team (14-12, 7-9 CL) competed at home at the Cougar Softball Field against the Grace College Lancers (7-23, 1-15 CL) on Monday, March 30.
In game one, MVNU struck first in the bottom of the second inning when Bailey Sheets launched a long ball to left field, giving the Lady Cougars a 1–0 lead. Grace responded in the third and fourth innings, scoring four runs to take its first lead of the game at 4–1.
MVNU answered in the bottom of the fourth, as Kiera Mayer, Shanda Melick, and Sheets each singled to load the bases. Jesenia Montalvo then delivered a triple that drove in two runs, and Zhari Hill reached base to bring in another, tying the game at 4–4.
Grace regained the lead in the top of the fifth to make it 5–4. Trailing by one, the Lady Cougars responded in the bottom of the seventh when Dakota Staffan singled and later scored on a double by Mayer, knotting the game at 5–5 and forcing extra innings.
In the bottom of the eighth, Montalvo singled and was eventually brought home by a walk-off single from Skylar Zimmerman, sealing a 6–5 victory for the Lady Cougars.
In the second game, Grace struck early, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. MVNU quickly responded in the bottom half with six runs to take a 6–3 lead, highlighted by Staffan's eighth home run of the season—a two-run shot.
Grace answered with two runs in the top of the second, but MVNU added one more in the bottom of the inning to maintain a 7–5 advantage. In the third, Grace scored two runs to tie the game at 7–7.
Both teams were held scoreless over the next two innings until Grace broke the tie in the top of the sixth, putting up three runs to take a 10–7 lead. However, MVNU rallied in the bottom half, scoring five runs to reclaim the lead and secure a 12–10 victory.
What's Next
The Lady Cougars remain at home on Tuesday, March 31, as MVNU takes on Spring Arbor University in a doubleheader set for 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students, and working adults. With a 327-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education both in-seat and online to nearly 2,200 students from 36 states, 1 U.S. commonwealth and 41 foreign countries.
