Merli's Game One Game-Winning Hit (Video)

The Lindenwood softball team remained in first-place in the HAAC after sweeping Central Methodist on Wednesday at the Lou Brock Sports Complex. The Lady Lions won by scores of 1-0 and 6-3 to extend both its overall and conference winning streaks to 12 games.

The first contest was a pitching duel between Lindenwood's Rebecca Peddicord and Central Methodist's McCall Kenney. Both pitchers threw complete games and allowed just five hits, but Peddicord got the win by shutting the Eagles out.

Peddicord had to pitch out of trouble often, as the leadoff batter reached base in four of the seven innings. However, she held Central Methodist to 0-for-9 batting with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners. For the game, Peddicord got 12 groundball outs and eight strikeouts, and walked two batters.

Offensively, Lindenwood broke through with the game's lone run in the fifth inning. With two outs and Caitlin Diesen on second base, Danielle Merli drove a single into centerfield which allowed Diesen to cross the plate.

Lindenwood got its bats going quickly in the second game, as the Lady Lions pounded out eight hits and all six of their runs in the first two innings.

In the first inning, six straight Lady Lions reached base after two outs were recorded in the inning. After Jodi Urhahn drove in the first run, Chelsea Landeck and Jessica Long both had two-run doubles for an early 5-0 Lindenwood advantage. In the second, Sophie Berman drove in Merli on a groundout for an insurance tally.

Central Methodist scored its only runs in the third inning. Four out of the first five batters reached base and the final batter in that span drove Lindenwood's starter Aubrey Moss out of the game after she was hit with a batted ball. Heidi Schertzer came in and allowed two inherited runners to score, but did not allow another run the rest of the game. She earned the win in relief after allowing four hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four, and walking none. Moss went 2 1/3 innings and struck out five. She allowed two earned runs, four hits, and two walks.

Samantha Van Pelt, Merli, Emily Johnson, and Urhahn all had two hits in the second game and Merli scored two runs.

With the victories, the Lady Lions move to 12-2 in conference play with just six contests remaining. MidAmerica Nazarene, which Lindenwood has already swept on the year, is second with a 13-3 mark, followed by Evangel and Missouri, who both have four losses. Lindenwood, now 24-16 overall, travels to Benedictine and Graceland this weekend in HAAC action.