WINFIELD, Kan. – The Southwestern College softball squad played their first two home games of the season on Saturday afternoon, hosting the Southwestern Christian University (Okla.) Eagles. The doubleheader matchups ended up falling in favor of the Eagles, as the Moundbuilders could not hold off a potent offense in the two battles. Game one, ended just in a one-run loss, 8-7. The following tilt was a one-sided game that ended in an 8-0 defeat for SC in just five innings.

To start the game, Southwestern was held off the scoreboard in the opening three innings, whereas SCU grabbed two runs on two RBI singles to put them up 2-0 heading into the fourth inning of play.

In the top of the fourth inning, SCU added another run to their score. The Builders, not done yet, fought their way back into the game after scoring five unearned runs in a row. A run-yielding fielding error by the pitcher on a Gina Hernandez tapper back to the circle, a two-run double hit down the left-field line by Isabel Lytle, a run-scoring fielding error by the short stop on an Alexus Johnson grounder, and an RBI double hit down the right-field line by Hannah Hlavenka put the Builders up 5-3 after four.

Southwestern Christian would add another two runs in the top of the fifth inning on two RBI singles, before the Moundbuilders scored another tally on an RBI single. A freshman, Taylor Mesna, singled to right-center field, which gave Zoe Berger the chance to sprint home to give SC a 6-5 advantage with just two innings remaining.

Going into the seventh inning after a scoreless sixth inning, the Builders had high hopes to bring home their first win of the season in their first tilt. Unfortunately, SCU had other plans, scoring three runs on three RBI singles with two outs. The Moundbuilders scratched across their final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh on a Mesna RBI single, but could not lasso the elusive eighth tally to tie the game. They fell 8-7 to the Eagles.

Game two was especially difficult for the Southwestern offense, as they failed to score for the entire matchup. They had just four hits in the game, but were trailing by just three runs until the fifth inning of the ballgame. The first run came in the first inning on a RBI groundout, while the two additional runs came after a two-run single in the top of the third inning.

After a quiet period of time, the Eagles would grab five runs in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 8-0. The squad got three RBI singles, scored one run on a wild pitch, and drew an RBI walk, making it a rather tough deficit to come back from for the Builders. They could not score in the bottom of the seventh, though they had a runner at third base with one out. The run rule came into effect, ending the game 8-0 after five innings in the Eagles' favor.

Mesna had a huge debut at the dish for SC, as the freshman was retired only one time out of her five total at-bats. She had four singles overall and drove in a pair of crucial runs with two of those in game one. Johnson's two hits in seven trips to the plate were the second-highest total of anyone on the squad, as only two Builders had multiple hits. One of the biggest of the remaining knocks came from Lytle, who smashed a two-run double. Hlavenka, Hernandez, Berger, Reagan Wright, and Ryleigh Branstetter were the other Moundbuilders to tally a hit.

A complete game was tossed by Johnson in the opener, though she ended up allowing eight runs total. Se had a chance to shut the door on the Eagles with a 6-5 lead in the top of the seventh with two outs, but could not do so. The game two staff consisted of Branstetter, who had trouble keeping the ball in the strike zone, yielding seven walks. With that being said, she kept SC within striking distance until the fifth inning. She was relieved for the final out of the fifth by freshman Jordan Gates, as she threw just five pitches.

The Builders (0-2, 0-0 KCAC) will now prepare for their next challenge when they travel down south to battle Arlington Baptist University in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11. After two losses, the Builders get the chance to get back on track as they face the Patriots for three games. 

--buildersports.com--