#4 Wildcats Slide Into Semifinals With 5-0 Win Over #1 Central Methodist

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – After an extra innings win over No. 5 Benedictine yesterday, the No. 4 Baker Wildcats knocked off No. 1 Central Methodist on Friday afternoon by a score of 5-0 to advance to the Heart of America Conference Semifinals.

Baker picked up 11 total hits in the game as Savannah Bray, Sydney Erlandson, and Taryn Hull were perfect at the plate. Bray went 3-for-3 with two doubles, while both Erlandson and Hull were 2-for-2. Riley Phillips led the Wildcats with two RBI late in the game.

In the circle, Kira Baker faced 32 batters in the game and allowed just three hits to throw another complete game and earn her second win in as many days.

After a scoreless first inning, Baker got on the board in the second inning. Taryn Hull hit a two-out double to center and after Meghan Kelly entered the game to run, Erlandson singled to right field and gave Baker a 1-0 lead.

The scoring stalled until the sixth inning, but Bray led off the sixth with a double and after two quick outs, Reese Curry singled to right and added to Baker's lead, making it 2-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, Central Methodist was able to load the bases, but Kira Baker was able to get Garland to flyout to centerfield to end the inning. Baker picked up a total of four hits in the top of the seventh, with hits coming from Taryn Hull, Rachel Pederson, Ava Greiner, and Riley Phillips as Pederson drove in one and Phillips drove in two to add some insurance runs as Baker took a 5-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

After two quick outs, CMU was able to get two runners on base, but Kira Baker quickly closed the door and got a popout to second base, giving Baker the 5-0 win in the quarterfinals.

Baker is now 28-15 on the season and 2-0 in the Heart Conference Tournament. They will now take on the winner of No. 2 Grand View vs. No. 3 Park at 12 p.m., on Saturday, May 3^rd.

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