WINFIELD, Kan. – The Southwestern College softball team matched up with the University of Saint Mary Spires on Tuesday afternoon in Winfield at Broadway Sports Complex. The doubleheader within the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) pitted the bottom two squads in the conference standings against each other. The Builders rallied to take their first KCAC victory of the season in game one, grabbing a 9-8 win in extra innings. After that, the Spires managed to take the latter tilt by a 3-1 final in regulation.
Both teams put up a pair of runs in the first inning, as USM scored their two runs on an RBI single and a wild pitch. The Moundbuilders' two tallies came on back-to-back RBI singles by Alexus Johnson and Zoe Berger. Isabel Lytle and Rayven Favors came in to score on the hits, respectively.
After holding Saint Mary to nothing in the top of the second, Southwestern added on a single run in the bottom of that stanza. A triple to right field by Lytle brought Reagan Wright all the way around to score and gave SC a 3-2 lead after two frames.
Both teams were quiet in the third inning, and after a scoreless top of the fourth by the Spires, SC extended their lead in the bottom of the frame. Two more RBI singles by the Builders made it a 5-2 ballgame. Loren Wright knocked in R. Wright on her single and Al. Johnson scored Favors on her base hit.
With a 5-2 lead entering the sixth, Southwestern looked well on their way to a triumph, but USM had something to say about that. They were able to mount a huge rally in the inning, and scored six times via four RBI singles and a two-run triple. With the newfound offense for the Spires, it was an 8-5 deficit that the Moundbuilders faced with just six outs to work with.
The Builders did not let the momentum shift doom them, as three runs were scored by Southwestern in the bottom of the inning. RBI singles from Hannah Hlavenka, L. Wright and Berger brought home Favors, Hlavenka and Allyson Lange to make it 8-8 after six.
After both sides failed to put up a run in the seventh, the game made its way into extra innings. The eighth frame began with a runner at second base for both teams, but Southwestern was able to squelch the USM attempts to score, setting themselves up for a walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the eighth. After loading the bases, L. Wright ripped a one-hop grounder that was knocked down by the third baseman on a dive, but was not corralled in time to keep SC from scoring the winning run. Lytle scored the Builders' run to give them a 9-8 win in eight stanzas.
Game one started in a great way for the Moundbuilders, as they retired the Spires easily in the top of the first. Then, they grabbed the game's first run with an RBI single through the left side by L. Wright, scoring Lytle.
From then on, there was no scoring from either side until the top of inning number four, when Saint Mary nabbed the lead with a two-run single and a RBI single. They took a 3-1 advantage into the bottom of the fourth.
Southwestern had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but could not cash in, as that ended up being the last great opportunity for SC to tie or take the lead. The Spires took a 3-1 win in the second game of the doubleheader.
Southwestern pounded out 25 total hits across the two games against the Spires, as 17 of those came in game one. Four Moundbuilders had three hits in game one, as Favors, L. Wright, Al. Johnson and Berger went 3-for-4. L. Wright's three RBIs in the game led the team, while both Al. Johnson and Berger knocked in two. Lytle and R. Wright had a pair of hits apiece, while Hlavenka's single hit was the last for the team. L. Wright, Al. Johnson and Taylor Mesna each had two hits in game two, and the remaining two hits were tallied by Lytle and Berger.
Al. Johnson ended up pitching as the starter in both games and threw a total of 12.1 innings. Overall, she gave up 11 runs (nine earned) over the course of her time in the circle. Jordan Gates provided 2.2 innings of valuable relief for Southwestern in game one, allowing only three hits and keeping USM off the scoreboard to earn her first collegiate win.
The end of the winless streak within the KCAC for Southwestern (3-28, 1-13 KCAC) brings a bit of relief, as the squad now has their first conference triumph under their belt. Now, the team will travel out to Sterling, Kan. for a doubleheader at Sterling College on Thursday afternoon. First pitch of the front end of the twin bill is set for 3 p.m., as the Builders look to grab another win or two for the conference record.
--buildersports.com--
