Wildcats Pitching Dominates in Senior Day Sweep, Road Split at William Penn

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. - Baker softball came out on top in three of its four games this past weekend, sweeping Graceland at home on Saturday's Senior Day and splitting a road series at William Penn on Sunday.

The Wildcats posted back-to-back shutouts against the Yellowjackets with a 10-0 run-rule win in game one, followed by a 2-0 victory in game two. BU fell in its first game in Oskaloosa, Iowa, 1-0, before defeating the Statesmen, 3-0 in the final game of the weekend.

Prior to Saturday's game, Baker celebrated its Senior Day by honoring 10 seniors for their dedication and contributions to the BU softball program. These seniors include Breana Barchak, Savannah Bray, Reese Curry, Sydney Erlandson, Tess Eubank, Kaitlynn Hodges, Jayda Logan, Riley Phillips, Rylee Seymour, and Brooke Vicory

BU 10, GU 0 (6 inn.)
Phillips delivered a memorable Senior Day performance in the series opener against the Yellowjackets as the senior slugger drilled two home runs in the game, including a game-ending grand slam in the bottom of the sixth.

Barchak and Kira Baker combined for the shutout with both pitchers going three innings and only allowing one hit apiece. K. Baker struck out seven, while Barchak struck out three and earned her fourth win of the season.

Phillips' two-run homer in the bottom of the first kicked off the scoring with Hodges following with an RBI groundout to make it a 3-0 lead after the opening frame. Sac flies from Erlandson and Ashlee Jackman brought in runs in the third and fifth and an RBI single from Rachel Pederson in the sixth set the stage for Phillips' first grand slam of the year, which triggered the mercy rule and sealed a 10-0 victory for BU.

BU 2, GU 0
In game two, Eubank and Vicory completed a second straight combined shutout for the Wildcats in a 2-0 win to sweep both games of the conference doubleheader.

Eubank pitched four perfect innings and racked up nine strikeouts in a dominant performance for the senior right-hander. Vicory allowed only one hit in her three innings and registered three strikeouts.

After a scoreless first four innings, the Wildcats broke through in the bottom of the fifth with a pinch-hit single from Ava Greiner driving in pinch-runner Meghan Kelly from second to give BU a 1-0 lead. An RBI groundout from Phillips tacked on an insurance run that went unneeded as Baker finished off its first series sweep since late March.

WPU 1, BU 0
In Oskaloosa on Sunday, the Wildcats couldn't string together enough hits in a pitcher's duel to start the series with a solo home run from the Statesmen providing the only scoring in game one between the two teams.

K. Baker came through with another big performance from the circle to keep the Wildcats in it, going six innings with five strikeouts and the only blemish being the solo homer in the sixth.

Bray hit a two-out double in the third and a leadoff walk from Jackman resulted in BU getting a runner to third, but the team couldn't capitalize on either scoring opportunity and were kept off the scoreboard for just the second time this season.

BU 3, WPU 0
After being shut out in game one, Baker scored two runs in the first inning of the nightcap, turning the tables to take a 3-0 win over the hosts.

A double by Greiner scored Pederson and Curry followed with an excellent bunt that allowed Greiner to slide in safely and make it a 2-0 lead for BU in the bottom of the first. The Wildcats scratched across another run in the sixth with a bunt by Jackman creating some havoc and Greiner was able to sprint home safely once again.

Barchak (6.1 IP) put together another excellent outing while staving off trouble for most of the start. She struck out four before turning things over to Vicory with one out in the seventh as Vicory picked up the last two outs to preserve the shutout and earn her first save of the spring.

Moving to 20-13 overall, Baker heads into the home stretch of its 2025 regular season and will split its final two weekends with home games on back-to-back Fridays, followed by Saturday road series.

Up next, the Wildcats will face Missouri Valley on Friday, April 18 with the conference doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Cavaness Field.

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