Wildcats Punch Ticket to World Series with Thrilling Victory Over Yotes

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Facing a winner-take-all matchup against No. 1 College of Idaho, the Baker softball team secured the program's first trip to the NAIA World Series with a thrilling 5-3 victory over the Yotes in the championship game of the NAIA Softball Opening Round on Wednesday in Baldwin City.

No. 2 Baker fell to the Yotes in the first game of the day by a score 4-2 to trigger the if-necessary game, but the Wildcats came back to take the dramatic finale and earn the Opening Round title.

After College of Idaho took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third, the Wildcats posted a three-run frame of their own in the top of the fifth to mount a wild comeback for their second victory over the Yotes in as many days.

Morgan Loggins garnished the postseason victory with a solo home run in the top of the sixth to give BU starter Kira Baker some added insurance.

Baker earned her 24th win of the season in the circle after pitching all seven innings against a tough C of I lineup that tallied six hits – one of which was a three-run home run – against the Wildcats' lefty.

It was leadoff hitter Parker Straight who broke open the scoring in the top of the third as the senior from Lawson, Mo. was able to manufacture a run after leading off the inning with a base hit. Then, after working her way to third on a stolen base and sac bunt, Straight raced home on a wild pitch to score the game's first run.

The Yotes worked back-to-back walks to begin their counter attack in the home half of the third before their cleanup hitter Tanner Higgins smacked a three-run home run to put College of Idaho ahead, 3-1.

The decisive fifth inning for BU began on a one-out bunt single from Bailey Shuman, who immediately stole second to put herself into scoring position. Later in the frame, Shuman came home to score on an infield single from Kerstyn Finch to draw the Wildcats within one.

The excitement escalated from there as Emma Ancira placed a ball in shallow left field that ricocheted off the glove of a diving Madelyn Powell and skipped back to the infield which triggered an errant throw trying to get Finch out at the plate that bounced far enough away to allow Ancira to come all the way around to score on a two-run base hit.

With the huge momentum swing, Loggins pushed the BU lead out to 5-3 with a towering, solo home run in the top of the sixth.

After Baker worked a quick 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the sixth, the Yotes looked to spark a seventh-inning rally with Hailey Loffer leading off the frame with a walk. A two-out hit would keep the Yotes' hopes alive but then a spectacular, on-the-run catch by Straight at the warning track in center brought the Wildcats dugout out for a championship celebration.

Straight had a multi-hit day at the plate, beginning the game with back-to-back hits and scoring a run. Ancira, Finch and Loggins each collected an RBI in the game with Loggins recording her third home run of the spring.

Baker will make its first appearance in the NAIA World Series next week with the 10-team tournament set for May 25-31 in Columbus, Ga.

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