McPherson, Kan. – Traditional doubleheaders for collegiate softball go a total of 14 innings, two seven inning games. And while that was the case on Sunday for the Bulldogs and Warriors, the two contests weren't split evenly. McPherson won the opening game of the DH 9-1 in six innings and the second went into extras and the visiting Midland University won that 5-4 in eight frames.
"This weekend has given us momentum to move forward in our season," said Coach Spencer. "I am please with our team's effort in pressure situations, but know we have room to continue to grow throughout this spring."
Game 1 – W 9-1 in 6 innings
The Lady Warriors got on the board quickly, scoring what turned out to be their only run of the game in the opening frame.
Mac answered with three in their half of the first inning, making the game look like it could be a slug-fest. The pitching picked up, however, leading to some empty innings.
That changed in the bottom of the fifth as three hits and an error earned the Bulldogs a pair of runs to increase their lead to four. Six more hits in the sixth brought in four runs which led to the run-rule.
Three MC players logged three hits in the 17-hit game for McPherson; Azaria Romero, Samantha Harrity, and Katie Holmes. Alex Yeoman, Cassandra Moreno, and Shelby Maycumber each tallied two hits.
Freshman Sydney Lang picked up the win on the mound for Mac; she pitched the complete six-inning game, allowing just the one run on two hits.
Game 2 – L 5-4 in 8 Innings
McPherson played catchup for the first few innings as Midland scored two in the first to take an early lead. The 'Dogs responded with a pair in the second, using five hits to bring around Moreno and Romero.
The Warriors again put a run on the board in the third but Mac scored one in the bottom half of the inning to again tie things up.
After four scoreless innings, the game was pushed into extras and MU struck first with two runs in the eighth. McPherson was able to bring one across the plate but not the equalizer, dropping the game 9-1.
The 'Dogs logged 10 hits from nine players; Emily Davis was the lone batter with two.
Lang entered in the fifth inning and picked up the loss after going the rest of the way; she allowed two earned runs on five hits. Katie Usdansky started the game on the mound, pitching four complete innings; she surrendered five hits for three runs, two were earned.
The Bulldogs won't play again until the end of the week as they travel to Baldwin City, Kansas for a doubleheader with the Baker University Lady Wildcats; start time is set for 1:00 p.m. (CT)
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McPherson College is a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference member school and a part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
