COLUMBIA, Mo. – Stephens College softball Saturday, playing its first games at the newly established home field at American Legion Park. Before the game, the Stars' starting lineup walked onto the field accompanied by the 12U Galaxy McDonald Youth team for the national anthem, creating a memorable moment for both teams and the fans.
Despite the chilly conditions, the Stars battled in front of their home fans but fell short in both matchups against Tabor College, 6-21 and 2-15.
In the opener, the Stars (0-4) responded to an early deficit with a four-run third inning, highlighted by Kara Krieger's three-run home run that cut Tabor's lead to 9-5. J. Watkins added an RBI single later in the frame, but the Bluejays answered with 11 runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach.
Emma Angel, Ivy Smart, and Kyndal Vincent each collected multiple hits for Stephens, while Elise Kendrick (0-1) took the loss in the circle after allowing eight runs in 1.1 innings of work.
The second game saw the Stars grab an early run in the first after Emma Angel came around to score on a fielder's choice from Kyndal Vincent. Tabor extended its lead, creating a gap the Stars couldn't close.
Elise Kendrick and Kyndal Vincent combined for the team's only RBIs, while Katie Dennis (0-1) pitched 3.2 innings, striking out one.
The Stars turn around quickly to face a major challenge on Sunday, March 2, as they travel to Fayette, Mo., to take on nationally ranked No. 7 Central Methodist. The first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
