Spires Split With Valor in Regular Season Finale

Springfield, Kan.- The University of Saint Mary Softball team traveled to play the Evangel Valor in their regular season finale, resulting in a 4-1 loss and a 7-1 win. The Spires finished the season with an overall record of 29-19 and a KCAC record of 18-8, the program's highest overall and conference winning percentage since 2014. The 2024 team is third in single-season wins and is first all-time in single-season KCAC wins; they will also make their second appearance in the KCAC Postseason Tournament in the last three years. 

Game One

The Valor pitching stood out in the opening game, holding the Spires scoreless through four innings. Saint Mary did have their chances early in the game, however, leaving seven runners stranded on the base path in three innings. Evangel manufactured their first run of the game in the second inning, scoring on a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead over the Spires. Saint Mary was able to tie the game in the fourth after a double-steal put on by Grace Rose and Alexis McDaniel. A bad throw by the Valor catcher allowed McDaniel to advance home, tying the game at one. Evangel put together three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a decisive 4-1 lead over USM with only one frame left, resulting in a loss for the Spires.

Game Two

Saint Mary was able to turn it around quickly and scored two runs in the first two innings of game two. In the top of the first, Sadie McWilliams and Rose had RBI singles to give USM a 2-0 lead. Rose held the Valor scoreless in the bottom half of the first, leading to an RBI triple from McDaniels and another RBI single from Rose in the second inning, which made it a 4-0 ballgame. A solo home run from the Valor in the fifth inning cut into the USM lead, but the Spires had a response in the sixth with three more runs; Rose drove in her third RBI of the game, McWilliams had her second of the day, and Abigail Kudym singled through the left side of the infield to give Saint Mary a comfortable 7-1 lead. After a one-two-three bottom of the sixth, Rose was able to pitch herself out of a one-out jam with a double play to end the game, giving USM the 7-2 win over the Valor. 

Up Next 

Saint Mary has qualified for the 2024 KCAC Postseason Tournament and will begin play on Wednesday in Great Bend, Kansas.