LOUISVILLE, Ky. - In a high-scoring Sunday doubleheader (April 26, 2026) in St. Louis, Spalding University and Webster University traded blows in a slugfest that saw 35 runs and two dramatic finishes, ultimately resulting in a series split.
The matchups were a testament to the offensive depth of both SLIAC programs, with the long ball and late-inning rallies defining the day.
Game 1: Webster 12, Spalding 11
The opener was an absolute rollercoaster. Webster came out firing, putting up nine runs in the first two innings. The early explosion was punctuated by Ava Reinecke, who belted a three-run home run to center field in the 1st, and Ainsley Hinz, whose RBI double fueled a five-run 2nd.
Spalding, however, chipped away at the 9-2 deficit with clinical persistence. By the 6th inning, the Golden Eagles had incredibly tied the game at 11-11, thanks to a two-run single by
Kaylee Fitzner and a Webster fielding error. But in the bottom of the 6th, Webster found one last answer: Addison Penn reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Olivia Hartupee to cross the plate for the winning run.
- WP: Addison Penn (1-2)
- LP: Riley Wilkins (8-6)
- SV: Madi Stichling (1)
Game 2: Spalding 8, Webster 4
Spalding flipped the script in the nightcap, relying on early power and a marathon performance in the circle from
Kaylee Fitzner.
Kaleigh Franklin-Brooks ignited the offense with a solo home run in the 2nd, and
Morgan Gambrell extended the lead in the 4th with a towering two-run blast down the left-field line.
Webster attempted a comeback in the 5th and 7th innings behind two RBI doubles from Paige Vogelgesang, but they couldn't overcome Spalding's four-run 5th-inning surge. Fitzner earned the win by navigating through heavy traffic, scattering 15 hits but limiting the damage to just four runs over a complete-game effort.
