BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Mission University Softball split a two-game set with the University of the Ozarks on March 23, highlighted by a dominant pitching performance and timely hitting in the opener.

Game One: Mission 3, Ozarks 0

The Patriots opened the day with a complete performance, earning a 3–0 shutout victory behind a standout outing from Hailey Presley.

Presley was dominant in the circle, tossing a complete-game shutout while allowing just four hits and striking out six.

Offensively, Mission did its damage early. Courtney Merrell drove in the first run of the game in the opening inning, while Cole Smith followed with an RBI double to extend the lead. Kloe Hendrickson added another RBI in the second to cap the scoring.

The Patriots totaled 13 hits in the game, with multiple contributions throughout the lineup. Hendrickson, Smith, and Mya Frillman each recorded two hits, while Merrell and Apryl Zeno also contributed at the plate.

Game Two: Ozarks 6, Mission 1

In game two, the Patriots were unable to carry over their offensive momentum, falling 6–1.

Mission's lone run came in the second inning when Haley Frillman delivered an RBI single to score Smith.

Smith led the Patriots offensively with two hits, accounting for nearly half of Mission's total output. The Patriots finished with three hits in the game.

In the circle, Kate Potter got the start, while Jillian McDaniel provided relief, combining for six innings against an Ozarks lineup that capitalized early.

Looking Ahead

Mission showed strong potential in the opener with consistent hitting up and down the lineup and a dominant pitching performance from Presley. The Patriots will look to build on that first-game success and carry more offensive consistency into their next matchup.