Softball | 3/4/2011 3:50:21 PM
McPherson vs Briar Cliff Box Score
McPherson vs Central Methodist Box Score
Wichita, Kan. – The McPherson College softball team dropped its opening two games at the Friends University tournament on Friday, 10-1 in five innings to Briar Cliff University, and 9-3 to Central Methodist University.
McPherson falls to 6-7 overall on the season with the results.
The Bulldogs struggled offensively against Briar Cliff in game one, as MC recorded only one run on three hits. Junior right-hander Katie Logan registered the loss, while freshman Payton Toepfer, junior Andrea Falk and junior Taylor Medler recorded McPherson’s three hits.
The Chargers took advantage of two Bulldog errors to take a 6-0 lead after the first inning. BCU added three runs in the second and another in the third to hand McPherson the loss.
The Bulldogs lone run of the game was scored in the second inning on a Falk solo home run to straightaway center field.
In their second game of the day, the Bulldogs lit up the scoreboard first when a hard hit ground ball by Falk got through the CMU defense, scoring Jamie Gilbert from second to make it a 1-0 MC lead. Gilbert reached earlier on a fielder’s choice.
However, the powerful Eagle offense tallied three in the bottom half, one in the third and four in the fourth to take an 8-1 lead into the top of the sixth.
McPherson added its second run of the game when Kelsey Dutton scored on a Haley Kinney ground ball to short. Central Methodist would answer with a score of their own in the bottom half to maintain a seven-run advantage, 9-2.
A pair of singles followed by a fielder’s choice loaded the bases for McPherson in the top of the seventh with Ariel McGee at the dish. McGee hit a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 9-3 with two outs, but it would not be enough as CMU would get out of the inning on the next pitch.
Dutton took the loss for the Bulldogs, while Logan registered the only multi-hit game for McPherson with a 2-for-4 effort.
McPherson returns to action tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. for day two of the Friends University Tournament. The Bulldogs will play three games opening with Benedictine College.
