STORM LAKE, Iowa (April 2, 2022) - The Buena Vista softball team played its home openers on Saturday afternoon by splitting a thrilling doubleheader against the University of Dubuque to kickoff American Rivers Conference play. BVU took the opener 8-0 in six innings before the Spartans edged the Beavers 5-3 in eight innings in the finale.
It was all BVU in game one after the Beavers scored three runs in the first and never looked back.
Chloe Wells got the scoring going with an RBI single before Nattie Murillo recorded an RBI groundout with a second run scoring on an error.
The Beavers tacked on three more runs in the third before capping the scoring with a 2-run triple in the six from Wells, who finished the game 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Miller was strong inside the circle, going the distance and allowing only four hits, striking out five and walking only one. She's now 7-4 on the year.
Rylee Cain added two hits with Murillo driving in two.
Dubuque jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the finale before BVU responded to take a 2-1 lead in the third with an RBI double from
Carlee Guyett and an RBI single from
Jamie Wendt. The Spartans rallied late with a pair of runs in the six to take a slim 3-2 lead.
Alyssa Barnhart came through in the clutch by driving in the game-tying run in the bottom of the seventh with an RBI double. BVU threatened to win the game later in the inning by loading the bases with only one out but the Spartans got out of the jam with a popout and flyout.
The Spartans would take the lead in the eighth with a pair of two-out base hits as BVU would go down in order in the home half.
Murillo and Barnhart eached turned in two hits to help lead the team at the dish.
Peyton Gross made the start and went the first six innings, allowing three runs and eight hits while striking out six. Miller came on to start the seventh and worked the final two frames to suffer the loss.
Buena Vista is now 17-7 overall (1-1 A-R-C) and will remain at home to continue its league schedule on Monday, April 4 against Coe College. The DH has been pushed up from Tuesday due to the threat of inclement weather the rest of the week. First pitch has been set for 3:00 p.m.
