PARAGOULD, Ark. – A long day of softball ended in heartbreak for Stephens College on Saturday as the Stars fell 3-4 in walk-off fashion to Crowley's Ridge College in game two of an extra-inning doubleheader. The game-two loss came after Stephens outlasted the Pioneers 4-3 in an 11-inning marathon to open the day.
The split brings the Stars to 14-20 overall and 8-8 in American Midwest Conference play, with the team now looking ahead to its final home stand of the regular season.
Game 1: Stephens 4, Crowley's Ridge 3 (11 Innings)
Junioe Katie Dennis delivered a heroic effort in the circle, going the distance with 11 innings pitched, three hits allowed, and zero earned runs as Stephens edged Crowley's Ridge 4-3 in an extra-innings thriller.
Despite falling behind 2-0 after a pair of unearned runs in the first two innings, the Stars remained composed and struck in the top of the seventh. After Kyndal Vincent reached on a dropped third strike and Emmy Carver singled, pinch runner Savannah Greathouse and Vincent executed a double steal, with Vincent scoring on a wild throw and Greathouse coming home on a sacrifice fly by Kara Krieger to tie the game 2-2.
After both teams went quiet through the extra frames, Stephens finally broke through in the 11th. With runners on second and third, Carver delivered a clutch two-out single to right field to score both Vincent and pinch runner Grace Houchin. Crowley's Ridge answered with one run in the bottom half, but Dennis forced a flyout to close out the win.
Carver went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Krieger added two hits and a sacrifice fly.
Game 2: Crowley's Ridge 4, Stephens 3
Stephens built a 3-0 lead behind a strong outing from junior pitcher Elise Kendrick and timely hitting from the middle of the order. Dennis stayed hot at the plate with an RBI single in the third, followed by a base hit from Carver to score Kendrick and give the Stars a 2-0 lead. Dennis struck again in the fifth, driving in Kendrick once more to extend the lead.
Kendrick held the Pioneers scoreless through four innings but ran into trouble in the fifth when a throwing error and an RBI single allowed two unearned runs to cross. Crowley's Ridge completed the comeback in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff walk and a double to set the stage. With two outs and runners in scoring position, the Pioneers delivered the game-winning single down the right-field line to hand Stephens the walk-off loss.
Kendrick (5-9) pitched another complete game, allowing just two earned runs on nine hits while striking out four. Dennis went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, while Carver and Celeste Athon added two hits each.
The Stars tallied 10 hits in the finale and swiped three bases but left seven runners stranded.
Stephens returns to play on Monday, April 21, as they travel to Hannibal-LaGrange for a rescheduled game. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 and 4 pm.
