CONWAY, Ark. – The Stephens College softball team closed out its 2025 campaign with a pair of gritty performances at Tuesday's American Midwest Conference Tournament. The No. 8-seeded Stars fell 1-9 to top-seeded Missouri Baptist in game one and dropped a close 1-2 contest to No. 4-seeded Williams Baptist in the nightcap.
Despite the results, the Stars (15-27) showed flashes of resilience and celebrated major individual milestones, with several players etching their names into the program record books.
Game 1: Missouri Baptist 9, Stephens 1 (6 Innings)
Facing the NAIA's 19th-ranked team, Stephens held Missouri Baptist scoreless in the first before the Spartans' power lineup found its rhythm. A solo home run opened the scoring in the second, and back-to-back multi-RBI innings followed, fueled by another homer and an RBI double.
The Stars' lone run came in the sixth, when senior Ivy Smart crushed a solo home run to center—her seventh of the season.
Kyndal Vincent doubled and had two hits to lead the offense, while junior Elise Kendrick tossed 5.1 innings, allowing six earned runs and striking out one.
Game 2: Williams Baptist 2, Stephens 1
In an elimination game, the Stars gave a strong push against the fourth-seeded Eagles, threatening in nearly every inning behind solid contact and aggressive base running.
Stephens responded in the third after falling behind 0-2 in the second inning on a two-RBI single. Emma Angel doubled to left and came around to score on Smart's RBI single down the line.
Smart continued her standout tournament with two hits, while Angel finished her day 2-for-4 with a run scored. Kendrick added a walk and run in the loss.
Pitcher Katie Dennis kept the Eagles within reach all afternoon, throwing six innings of three-hit ball with two strikeouts and no walks.
Despite putting two runners on in both the third and fifth innings, Stephens couldn't push across the tying run, as Williams Baptist turned a key double play to escape trouble in the fifth.
Season Reflections and Records
The 2025 campaign saw multiple Stars leave their mark on the program record books:
- Ivy Smart: Closed the season as one of the top all-time hitters in RBIs and home runs.
- Elise Kendrick: Ends the season ranked among the career program leaders in doubles, assists, and innings pitched.
- Katie Dennis: Added her name to the books in wins while posting multiple complete games.
Head coach Clint Poulsen reflected on the team's effort and growth throughout the season:
"We played with a lot of heart this year," Poulsen said. "This group stuck together, fought through a tough schedule, and made some big strides individually and as a team. I'm incredibly proud of the way our seniors led the way and how our returners grew into bigger roles."
