WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College swept Randall in a doubleheader on Tuesday at Broadway Sports Complex, using an offensive outburst in Game 1 before grinding out a low-scoring win in the nightcap.
Southwestern (15-31) opened the day with a 12-4 victory, then secured the series split with a 4-1 win in Game 2.
In the opener, the Moundbuilders broke the game open early, scoring five runs in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI singles from Raisean Dorsey and Ayden Markovich before Garrett Richards joined the slugfest with a 2 RBI single down the left field line.
The Moundbuilders finished with 18 hits in the opening game, one-upping their 17-hit performance against Hesston last Thursday.
The second inning featured another Ayden Markovich RBI, part of his 5-hit, 2-RBI performance, as well as a 2 RBI single up the middle from Brice Nittler, who drove in Markovich along with Raisean Dorsey. The 8-0 Moundbuilder lead was stretched to nine in the third inning, but the Saints would not go away.
Randall got on the board in the third inning behind a sacrifice fly from Carson Creek and added two more in the fifth before the Moundbuilders answered in the following frame after an RBI double from Brice Nittler. The Builders would continue to pour it on the Saints, adding two more runs in the sixth inning to put the nail in the coffin.
Raisean Dorsey recorded three hits and two RBIs, while Brice Nittler contributed three RBIs. Preston Carrillo chipped in two hits and two RBIs, and Garrett Richards recorded two hits and an RBI as part of the balanced offensive attack. Southwestern plated runs in five of the six innings it batted.
On the mound, Tyke Creekmore earned the win, while the bullpen combined to limit Randall to four runs on seven hits.
Randall answered with a more competitive effort in Game 2, taking an early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Southwestern responded in the third on an RBI single from Mariano Kremer, then took the lead for good in the fifth when Koda Larsen delivered a two-run single.
The Moundbuilders added an insurance run in the sixth inning on an RBI single by Braden Roberts, extending the lead to 4-1.
Southwestern's pitching staff held Randall to just five hits in the finale. Jack Merrell picked up the win in relief, and Jaxon Burns closed the game with three strikeouts in the seventh to earn the save.
Southwestern will close the regular season against Kansas Wesleyan University. The teams will meet Thursday, April 23 at 5 p.m., before concluding the series with a doubleheader Saturday, April 25 in Salina, Kan., beginning at 1 p.m.
