The Malone University softball team picked up a thrilling 5-4 win over Kentucky Wesleyan College on Saturday morning in an elimination game at the Great Midwest Athletic Conference Tournament.  The Pioneers' 2019 campaign then came to a close later in the day with a 2-0 defeat to Cedarville University at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio.

Malone concludes the year with a 23-17 overall record which marked the most wins in a season since 2002 and tied for the third-most victories in program history.
                                             
Malone vs. Kentucky Wesleyan Recap
After the Panthers grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, the Pioneers pounced in the top of the fourth, pulling ahead 3-1 thanks to a clutch homer by April Howser.  Erika Johnson got the rally started with a one-out triple.  Following a one-out groundout, Bailey Byers drew a walk to put runners at the corners with two outs.  Howser then clubbed a two-strike pitch over the fence in left to put Malone in front.

A solo blast to rightfield by the Panthers cut the Malone lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third. 

The score then remained at 3-2 until the top of the six as shortstop Serena Tucciarelli led off the frame with a no-doubt liner over the fence in leftfield to restore Malone's two-run advantage.

Kentucky Wesleyan battled back to knot the score in the bottom of the inning, scoring on a Malone throwing error and a sacrifice fly.

The Pioneers quickly responded with a run in the top of the seventh.  Johnson got things going with a lead-off walk and moved to second on a single by Madison Corrick.  Bailey Byers then stepped to the plate and lined a single up the middle to plate Johnson.

The Panthers put a pair of runners on base with one out in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a walk and a single.  With the winning run on first and the tying run on second, Kelsey Byers struck out the next batter of the inning, brining KWC's Meredith Daunhauer to the plate as the Panthers' last chance. 

The First Team All-Conference centerfielder lined a single to right, but Johnson quickly fielded the ball and fired a strike towards home plate.  Catcher Bailey Byers snagged the throw and applied the tag just in time to preserve the 5-4 victory for Malone and give the program its first-ever win against Kentucky Wesleyan.

Kelsey Byers picked up her 20th win of the season in the circle after tossing all seven innings, yielding four runs (two earned) on six hits.

Johnson went 2-for-2 in the contest with two runs scored and the huge outfield assist.
 
Malone vs. Cedarville Recap
The only two runs of the game came in the bottom of the first.  The Yellow Jackets got things started with a bunt single.  An RBI triple to center plated the first run of the game before a two-out single made it 2-0.

Malone loaded the bases in the fourth inning with three straight two-out singles from Tucciarelli, Allyson Gruen and Emily Betts, but Cedarville induced a groundout to short to end the threat.

The Pioneers put two more on in the fifth with an infield single by Johnson and a walk from Bailey Byers, but another groundout allowed the Yellow Jackets to escape the frame unscathed.

Although Kelsey Byers kept the Cedarville bats silent the rest of the way, Malone was unable to reach base over the final two frames, falling by the 2-0 final.

Kelsey Byers tossed four complete games for the Pioneers in the tournament.  The G-MAC Freshman of Year smashed the Malone single season record for wins (20) and strikeouts (180).

On top of breaking the Malone single-season and career homerun records earlier this year, Bailey Byers also ended 2019 as Malone's single-season record holder for slugging percentage at .863.