The 15th-ranked Three Rivers softball team couldn't quite complete the sweep over North Central Missouri at Rains Field as they took three of four over the weekend.
The Raiders were able to pick up shutouts in the first three games taking Saturday's contests 8-0 in both games and 11-0 in the opener Sunday. Three Rivers dropped the final game of the series 7-6 on a late rally by the Pirates, snapping a 14-game win streak.
"Our goal going into this weekend was to win three of four," Raiders coach Jeff Null said. "We won the first three and we wanted to get the sweep, but we gave that one away and it made (North Central's) weekend beating a ranked team."
In Game 1 Saturday, six Raiders had at least one RBI with Helena Garcia driving in two on a home run in the third inning. Kyla Puckett also went deep to lead off the fifth.
McKale Floyd started in the circle and gave up only three hits in six innings.
The Raiders (22-4, 9-1 XVI) matched their run total in the second game, while in the circle, Makayla Bryant and Alyson Marcum combined for a no-hitter as Bryant tossed the first three innings and Marcum pitched the fourth and fifth. The Pirates only had one baserunner the entire game, which came on a walk in the fifth.
At the plate, Kanlee McAuliffe and Molly Spangler went 2-for-3. Spangler, Ann-Marie Simpson, Garcia and Abby Wilson each drove in a run with Wilson going deep to lead off the second inning.
For Sunday's games, the Raiders were scored as the visiting team, but they were still able to roll in the opener with a five-run sixth.
Floyd was in the circle to start as she gave up only one hit in five innings, which came on a bunt single in the fifth.
Spangler had a four-RBI game going 3 for 4 at the plate while Karlye Happold and Kyla Puckett reach drove in three RBIs each.
In the series finale, the Pirates were able to take a 5-2 lead in the second, but the Raiders scored two in the third and two in the fourth to go up 6-5. North Central tied it up on a lead off home run in the seventh off of Marcum and later in the inning walked it off on an error to prevent the sweep.
Happold and Wilson each had two RBIs in the game and both homered.
The Raiders are scheduled to host Region XVI rival Mineral Area on Tuesday and will be on the road at East Central on Thursday and St. Charles on Friday before returning home to play Jefferson College on Saturday.
"We have a tough stretch coming up, Null said. "We'll have to refocus going into the busiest part of our schedule. We'll make adjustments and we'll be fine."
Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic