CEDARVILLE, Ohio – The Malone University Pioneers swept the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets in the final games of the 2021 regular season.

Behind a shutout in the circle from the reigning G-MAC Pitcher of the Week Kelsey Byers, and a four-run fifth inning by the offense, the Pioneers took game one 6-0. Malone followed that up with a two-hit shutout from Byers to take game two 3-0.  
 
The sweep allows the Pioneers to finish the regular season at 24-9-1 overall and 15-7 inside of G-MAC play. The Yellow Jackets fall to 19-19 overall and 8-12 inside the conference. 
 
GAME ONE RECAP:
The Pioneers got two runners on in the first with a Bailey Byers walk and Lexi Betz single, but both were left stranded. In the second, Malone was able to take the goose egg out of the runs column. Back-to-back singles by Elizabeth Dyke and Lauren Bennett led off the frame and with the bases loaded later on, Bailey Byers was walked to score the game's first run. Amber Burick scored on a wild pitch two batters later.

After surrendering two singles, one in each inning, Kelsey Byers found her groove in the circle. The junior struck out the side in the third and fourth innings on her way to a baker's dozen in the contest. 

Malone batted around in the top of the fifth to extend the 2-0 lead. Lexi Betz had an RBI double, followed by a two-run triple off the bat of April Howser to make it 5-0. Lauren Bennett knocked a single into left field with runners on first and third for an RBI and the sixth Pioneer run.

Kelsey Byers went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings on her way to retiring 12 Yellow Jacket hitters in a row. A lowly infield single was all for Cedarville in the final inning in route to a 6-0 Malone victory.

GAME TWO RECAP:
The Yellow Jackets were able to keep the Pioneers' offense somewhat in check in the second game, but could not counter with anything offensively themselves as they were simply overpowered by Byers once again. 
 
Mikayla Kesel came up with a huge two-out, two-RBI single in the top of the first inning to put Malone on top. Howser and Betz came in to score on the play. 

Byers surrendered a leadoff single in the bottom of the first, but was then nearly untouchable. She retired the side in order in the second, third, and fourth innings. A two-out single in the fifth was the only other base runner she allowed in game two.
 
Malone manufactured a run in the third inning when Betz scored on a passed ball, and the 3-0 advantage would hold the rest of the way. 
 
PIONEER POINTS:

• The pair of wins gives Kelsey Byers 22 on the season. The shutouts were her fifth and sixth of the season, and she has now lowered her season ERA to a 1.73 mark. 
• Both Lexi Betz and Lauren Bennett had a multi-hit game in the opener. Betz added a RBI to her G-MAC leading 47 on the season. She also had a pair of hits in the night-cap, and her season batting average now stands at .413.
• The respect shown to Bailey Byers in the batter's box was evident in game one. She did record an official at-bat but reached base four times on three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

 
UP NEXT:
The Pioneers have clinched a bid into next week's Great Midwest Softball Championship Tournament. The bracket will be released early next week after the final seeding has been determined. The University of Findlay will host the tournament which gets underway on Thursday May 6.