WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Trevecca Nazarene University softball team (16-8) finished up at the 2024 PFX Spring Games on Friday morning with a pair of wins highlighted by
Ashlan Sensing's perfect game versus the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
In game one, Trevecca defeated to the University of Missouri-St. Louis (9-10) and then later beat Upper Iowa University (10-16) in game two. The Trojans take a 2-1 lead in the all-time series while the Trojans take a 1-0 lead over the Peacocks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
GM 1: TNU 8, UMSL 0 – F/6
A special game for Trojan starter
Ashlan Sensing started with a strikeout to retire the side in the top of the first. Trevecca's bats were kept quiet through the first two frames despite having three Trojans reach base. Sensing struck out two more in the top of the third making way for the Trojans to bolster ahead in the bottom half of the inning. The first four Trojans reached base safely in the third via three singles and a walk before a sac bunt and another single gave the Trojans a 4-0 lead.
Sensing induced another strikeout and two ground-outs in the fourth before the Trojans added two more runs.After a lead-off single by
Gracie Kirby,
Raegan Hunter pinch ran and scored from first after an error by the left fielder on the very next play.
Kendall Andrews brought in
Anna Bennett via an RBI single to right field to give Trevecca a 6-0 lead. The fifth and sixth innings saw two more strikeouts per frame from Sensing who retired 18 Tritons in all. Trevecca finished up the game in the sixth inning via run-rule by adding a pair of runs off two RBI singles from
Kendall Andrews and
Kyleigh Burgett, respectively.
CIRCLE AND BOX NOTES
* Seven different Trojans collected at least one hit.
* Kendall Andrews went 3-3 with a walk, four stolen bases, three RBI and two runs scored.
* Kyleigh Burgett was also a perfect 2-2 with two RBI, a stolen base and a walk.
* Ashlan Sensing (8-4) started and threw a perfect game for the Trojans. Sensing collected eight strikeouts and tossed just 66 pitches to finish the feat.
* Sensing notches her second career perfect game after having done so against Staten Island in last year's PFX Spring Games. She followed up that performance with a no-hitter on April 27 against Lake Erie.
* Sensing is the only pitcher in the NCAA-era to throw a perfect game in Trevecca history.
* Before Sensing last season, the last time a Trojan pitcher pitched a perfect game was March 19, 2009, when Shelby Mashburn struck out 12 out of 15 batters en route to a 10-0 win over Fisk in five innings in the second game of a doubleheader.
* Alex Behnke was a hit batter away from a perfect game two seasons ago on April 29, 2022.
* Sensing leads the Great Midwest in strikeouts, wins and innings pitched.
* Today's game was the fifth shutout of the season and the first no-hitter game as well.
* Sensing tossed a one-hitter in the shutout of Quincy in game two on February 19.
* It is just the third run-shortened game of the season, previously the Trojans run-ruled Quincy twice when the Hawks visited the Trevecca softball complex.
GM 2: TNU 8, UPPER IOWA 0 – F/5
Coming off a perfect game earlier, the Trojans bats picked up right where they left off in game one. Two runs were scored in the top of the first off the bat of
Kyleigh Burgett. Trevecca lit up the Peacocks for five runs in the second when
Addy Grace Summers hit an RBI single to center field followed by
Kendall Andrews smashing a three-run homer.
Annabelle Ellis finished off the scoring with an RBI single to the shortstop to give the Trojans a 7-0 lead through two innings. A sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth set things up for a run-shortened game as the Peacocks managed just three hits on the day, none of which came in the bottom of the fifth, as Trevecca won 8-0.
CIRCLE AND BOX NOTES
*
Kendall Andrews went 1-2 with a three-run homer and a walk.
*
Kyleigh Burgett was 2-3 with a double, a run scored and two RBI.
*
Anna Bennett went 2-4 with two runs scored while
Addy Grace Summers was 2-3 with an RBI and a double.
*
Halle Grace Patton (4-2) started and went four innings, allowing just three hits while striking out three in the win.
* It is the fourth run-shortened game of the season and the second of the day.
* It is the sixth shutout of the season.
NEXT ON THE DIAMOND
The Trojans have six full days off before traveling to Ashland, Ohio to take on the Eagles of Ashland University for a doubleheader on March 15 at 1:00 PM. It is the first Great Midwest Athletic Conference games for the Trojans in their final run through the league before heading to the Gulf South Conference next season.
The Trojans have never lost to Ashland (6-11) having beaten the Eagles in all seven previous meetings.
