The Buena Vista softball team came out firing on all cylinders in game one of today's doubleheader against Central College, scoring seven runs in the first and blasting a walk-off home run in the fifth for a 15-7 triumph.  Central scored six runs in the fifth inning of game two and went on to hold off BVU, 9-5.

The Beavers, who have never scored more than seven runs in any meeting with Central, reached that total in their very first at-bat.  Trailing 1-0 after a half inning, Jordon Pilcher drove home the tying run on bunt single down the third base.  Jessica Stocker then followed later in the inning with a two-run single to right to make it 3-0.  Cheyanne Boland also got into the hit parade with an RBI single of her own before Stephanie Hayden, who had a monster day at the plate, doubled to left center field with the bases full to drive in three and make it a 7-1 contest.

The Dutch, ranked 11th in this week's NFCA national rankings, got one run back in the second before BVU got back to the plate and added to its total. Sam Engleman singled with one out and came around to score when Brittney Kubik blasted a two-run home run off the scoreboard in left center to make it 9-2.

With the bases loaded in the third, Pilcher singled to right field and would move all the way to third on the play when the ball got past the right fielder.  Engleman then drove a pitch over the wall in left to drive in Pilcher and make it a 14-2 contest.

Central was down to its last strike in the fifth, but a two-out, two-run home kept the game alive, making it 14-7. Boland, who threw out multiple attempted base stealers on the day, did so in the fifth to end the inning.

After Engleman grounded out to start the fifth, Kubik ended the game with her second long ball of the game, a no-doubter to left, giving BVU its first triumph over the Dutch since winning 2-1 in game two of a home doubleheader back in 2004.

Hayden went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with a double, three RBI and two runs scored.  She also stole one base.  Kubik went 2-for-3 with the two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored.  Engleman and Pilcher each added three hits with Pilcher driving in three and scoring twice.

Jenna Falline got the win on the mound, allowing just four earned runs on eight hits.

BVU then looked to capture its first doubleheader sweep of the Dutch since 1996 with a win in game two.  The Beavers looked like they might be in control after plating three runs in the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

Stocker drove home the first run on an RBI single to right before Boland tripled down the right field line for a 2-0 lead.  Lacey Vokt drove home a run to make it a three-run cushion on a bunt toward first base.

The Dutch, however, used the long ball in the fifth to take their first lead of the game.  After pulling back within 3-2, they got a three-run home run to take a 5-3 lead before back-to-back dingers made it 6-3.

Two more runs by Central (24-6, 4-2 IIAC) in the sixth made it 8-3 before BVU tried to rally late.

Vokt drove home her second run of the day to make it 8-4 before Hayden, who was intentionally walked in her previous at-bat with  runner on second, drove an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left to make it 8-5.

Central, however, got one of those runs back in the seventh to push it to 9-5, but the Beavers weren't able to get any closer.

Hayden finished off her perfect day at the plate by going 3-for-3 with an RBI and run scored, while Engleman, Stocker and Boland followed with two hits each.  Boland also scored twice and finished with one RBI.

Kubik suffered the loss on the mound for BVU, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out two and walking two.  Falline came on in relief and pitched the final 2.2 innings.

Buena Vista is now 11-13 overall (3-3 IIAC) and will play again on Saturday afternoon when the team travels to Wartburg College (17-11, 1-5 IIAC) for a 2:00pm doubleheader.