WINFIELD, Kan. - The Southwestern College softball team hosted Tuesday's doubleheader matchups against the visiting Falcons of Kansas Christian College. After a close game one, where the Builders were defeated by just one run, the second game went in favor of the Builders and ended in a high scoring 14-13 win over the Falcons. The victory marked Southwestern's first of 2023.

A nearly perfect start in game one gave the Builders an early 4-0 lead over the visiting Falcons. With the bases loaded, Loren Wright doubled to left field and earned a three-RBI double. Hannah Hlavenka, Raven Favors and Isabel Lytle all ran home on the frozen rope to left field. Only moments later, Zoe Berger earned an RBI double as she rapped the ball to right center, helping L. Wright to score the fourth run in the first inning.

In the second inning of play, Kansas Christian started to find their rhythm and put two runs on the scoreboard. A throwing error by the pitcher, and a RBI single changed the score to 4-2.

Not done yet, the Falcons added another two runs in the top of the third, after an RBI single to right center and another RBI single through the left side. With a tied game after four innings, the Falcons then added their final run on the board to win the game with a final score of 5-4.

The Builders had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh inning after Alexus Johnson hit a line-drive into right-center field, but Hannah Hlavenka did not see Coach Good's hand signal as she sprinted toward third and dove for third base instead of running home. The ball had just been picked up by the outfielder near the warning track, as she made the slide into third, which stopped her momentum, and forced her to stand pat at third base. The following hitter grounded out, ending the tilt.

A game that could have been a win for the Builders ended in another loss. Nevertheless, a strong performance in game one gave hope for an exciting second game.

Game two started with a long first inning where the teams scored a combined total of nine runs. Kansas Christian started their run of tallies with an unearned run after a fielding error by the shortstop. In addition, the Falcons notched a two-RBI single after a hit through the right side.

The Builders, not happy with their pitching performance, decided to make a change and brought in freshman Raleigh Kramer. A shaky start gave the Falcons another two runs after a wild pitch and a walk, which handed them a 5-0 lead.

In need of something big, the Builders showed some great effort and fought their way back into the game after a four-run frame in the bottom of the first inning. Ryleigh Branstetter singled to right field to earn her first RBI single of the game to help Favors score. Seconds later, Berger singled down the right field line to earn another RBI single, giving L. Wright the chance to score for the Builders. Moving with the momentum of the game, Reagan Wright had a strong battle in her at-bat and won, as she worked the walk to earn a RBI with the bases juiced. To end the inning on a high note, Branstetter scored after an RBI single was hit to left field by Taylor Mesna. A high scoring first inning ended in a 5-4 lead for the Falcons.

The second inning started in favor of KCC, as they added two more runs to the scoreboard to improve their lead to 7-4. An RBI single and another run on a fielder's choice gave the Falcons a three-run advantage.

The Moundbuilders, down by three, were able to shorten the deficit as they added another run to the board. Favors scored after a fielder's choice to update the score to 7-5.

Unfortunately, the lead for the Falcons improved again, as they scored another three runs in the top of the third inning. A two-run triple and an RBI single for Kansas Christian lengthened the lead in the game to a 10-5 score.

Being down by five runs, the Builders had to show what they were made of. Brick-by-brick and step-by-step, the Builders started the comeback as Allyson Lange scored after a sacrifice fly by Berger.

Kramer then held the Falcons in the top of the fifth to give the Builders a chance to continue shrinking the Falcon lead. Hlavenka earned an RBI, as she hit a sacrifice fly to left field to bring Lytle home to score. In addition, L. Wright singled to right center to earn an RBI as Favors came in to score. Back in the game with a score of 10-8, the Builders had to keep believing.

Kansas Christian would add another run in the top of the sixth inning to improve their lead to 11-8, as they scored an unearned run after a throwing error by the shortstop.

The Builders, able to keep the momentum, added another two runs to change the score to 11-10. Favors grounded a ball up the middle to earn a two-RBI single as Berger and Taylor Powers came home to trim the deficit to only one run.

After a scoreless seventh inning for the Falcons, the Builders needed a single run to add an extra inning to the game. In a moment where a player was needed to step up and show up for the team, Alexus Johnson saw her chance to help the team as she lined the ball to right field over the head of the outfielder. She was able to sprint all the way around the bases and earn an inside-the-park homerun. Just one run was needed, and just one run scored. The Builders tied the game in the seventh inning to add an additional inning.

The extra inning began in favor of the Falcons as they scored two runs on a wild pitch and an RBI single to right center to give them a lead of 13-11 with three outs left to get. Southwestern then showed what Builders are made of. Reagan Wright scored as Lytle doubled to left field. Just seconds later, Lytle tied the game as she scored after a Favors double to the left-center gap to earn an RBI. Next to bat was Hannah Hlavenka. Hlavenka who could have scored in the first game to tie the game had now the chance to win it for the Builders. She steeped up and grounded the ball to the shortstop with just one out and a runner at third base, making it possible for Favors to score the final run of the game. Southwestern walked it off with a 14-13 win in eight innings to grab their first victory of the 2023 slate.

Hlavenka had a three-hit performance in the first game, as she was the lone Moundbuilder with a multi-hit line. L. Wright's three runs-batted-in consisted of all but one driven in run for the squad. Berger tallied the other on an RBI double. An outstanding performance in the second tilt by Favors helped the Builders to earn their first victory of the season. Favors led the team in runs, hits and RBIs in the second game. She scored four runs, had five hits in five at-bats, and earned three RBIs out of the second spot in the batting order. Three of her five hits in the battle were two-baggers. Lytle and L. Wright had three hits apiece, while Branstetter and Berger added two each. Al. Johnson and Mesna both had one hit, but the former's homer was a game-tying hit that pushed the game into extra innings.

The Builders (1-10, 0-0 KCAC) are now preparing to face Ecclesia College in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 11, starting at 1 p.m. at Broadway Sports Complex in Winfield, Kan. A pair of prior series' against Bacone College (March 2) and Cottey College (March 7) have been postponed due to travel and roster limitations of opponents.

--buildersports.com--