Central Methodist Wins 2022 Heart Softball Conference Tournament Championship

The No. 1 seeded Central Methodist University softball team put together two victories on Sunday in the 2022 Heart Softball Conference Tournament Championship to capture the 2022 Championship with a 3-1 win in the first championship game over tournament host No. 3 Mount Mercy and then defeated the Mustangs a second time, 2-1, to earn the Conference Championship.

This marks the Eagles first Heart Softball Conference Tournament Championship since 2014 and sixth overall. The Eagles have now won the Conference Tournament in 2022, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2008 and 2005.

The Eagles improve to 39-5 overall, while the Mustangs move to 35-18 on the season.

CMU earns an automatic berth to the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship Opening Round and Grand View earns the second automatic berth, for finishing second in the Heart regular season standings and winning the Heart North in the regular season.

Mount Mercy will await to see if they earn an, at-large berth to the 2022 NAIA Softball National Championship.

In game one, aces Keighlan Cronin and Jayna Witzany dueled in the circle. Cronin earned the win for the Eagles, as she went 7.0 innins and allowed just six hits and one earned run, a solo home run by Mount Mercy's Allie Poston.

Witzany, the 2022 Heart Softball Pitcher of the Year, also went 7.0 innings and allowed two earned runs and struck out 12 batters.

Katelyn Kiser hit a solo home run for CMU and Kelena Oots drove in the other run for the Eagles to force another game.

In the tournament finale, 2022 Heart Freshman of the Year, Mykala Johnico went the first 5.2 innings and earned the victory, improving to 16-0 on the year. Cronin finished out the final 1.1 innings to earn the save.

Kiser singled up the middle to score Chloe Clark which proved to be the game winning run.

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HEART CHAMPIONSHIP BOX SCORE GAME 1

HEART CHAMPIONSHIP BOX SCORE GAME 2