Bats Come Alive Softball Takes Two at Home Tournament

McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College softball team made the most of its opportunities to play this weekend, downing Briar Cliff University and Langston University on Friday at the McPherson College Invitational at Wall Park. The Bulldogs were originally slated to play four games at their home invite, but saw that number sliced in half due to weather and other scheduling difficulties.

McPherson 9, Briar Cliff 4
McPherson pounded out 18 hits and Christie Betker (Reno, Nev., Reno HS) struck out four in a complete game effort in the opener.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead as Jessica Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) scored on a Kortney Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) RBI single in the first inning and Amanda Connell (Wichita, Kan., Circle HS) and Chelsea Conrad (Ione, Calif., Argonaut HS) came across on back-to-back singles by Jasmine Curiel (Corona, Calif., Corona HS) and Judith Salazar (Santa Maria, Calif., Allen Hancock College) in the second. McPherson also stranded a pair in each of the first two innings, something they would also do in a scoreless third inning.

The Chargers knotted the score in the fourth as Gemma Perez scored on a Tiffany Goller RBI single. Brenna Oliver and Brooke French scored later in the inning on a two-run double by Bailey Nichols.

McPherson scored two in both the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and could have struck for more, but left a total of eight runners on base over the three frames. Kortney Jones drove in Azaria Romero (McPherson, Kan., Kansas Wesleyan University) with an RBI single and Jessica Knoeber (Hutchinson, Kan., Trinity Catholic HS) followed with an RBI double in the fourth. In the fifth, Conrad scored on a Jessica Jones RBI single, while Salazar scored on an infield single by Ali Smith (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS). Erica Almaraz scored on a Salazar sacrifice fly in the sixth. Kortney Jones followed one batter later by driving in Jessica Jones for the second time in the game.

Briar Cliff loaded the bases in both the sixth and seventh innings, but Betker limited the Chargers to just one run. In the seventh, Mikaela Rodriguez scored on a French single to short.

Betker and the McPherson defense had a bend-but-don't-break sort of outing in the field, allowing four runs (all earned) on 11 hits, four walks and an error. Kortney Jones had three hits, drew a walk and drove in three. Salazar added three hits, two RBIs and scored twice, while Jessica Jones, Curiel, Knoeber and Smith all tallied two hits and an RBI.

Summer Williams, Rodriguez and French all had two hits for the Chargers.

Williams - one of three pitchers used by Briar Cliff - got the start in the circle, allowed three runs in two innings, and escaped with a no-decision after the Chargers' third-inning comeback. Ciara Dotzler gave up the two fourth-inning runs and was stuck with the loss.

McPherson 13, Langston 5 (5 innings)
Langston jumped out to a 5-1 lead after 2 1/2 innings in McPherson's second game of the day, but the Bulldogs responded with six runs in the third, one in the fourth and five in the fifth to run away with the victory.

The Lions scored a pair of runs in the first on a two-run single by Cameron Jenkins. The hosts answered with a run in the bottom of the second  as Knoeber scored on a Katie Holmes (Harrah, Okla., Cowley County CC) sacrifice fly after being hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

Langston added three more runs in the third off McPherson starter Sydney Lang (Topeka, Kan., Shawnee Heights HS). With one out and the bases loaded, Monique Collins scored as all three runners stole after a Kassidee Rusniak strikeout. Jahnae Davis followed with a two-run bunt single three pitches later.

The Bulldogs were finally able to string some hits together in the third inning. After being hit by the first pitch of the inning, Romero came around to score on a Salazar ground out. Kortney Jones followed with a ground-rule double over the left-field fence to score Jessie Jones, then scored on an RBI single by Knoeber. Holmes followed with a two-run double, then scored when the Langston defense couldn't handle a grounder off the bat of Connell. 

In the fourth, McPherson extended the lead to 8-5 when, again, Kortney Jones hit a ground-rule double to drive in Jessie Jones.

The Lions were retired in order in the fifth and looked to extend the game after retiring the first two Bulldogs in the fifth on popups. That's when things started to go sideways for the visitors. Jessie Jones drove in Connell with a single to short. A bobble and a wild throw on a ball of the bat of Conrad allowed Romero and Jones to score. Conrad then scored on an RBI single by Jones and an RBI single by Knoeber brought Salazar home to end the game.

Lang picked up the five-inning complete-game win, allowing five runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out six. The Joneses - Jessie and Kortney - had three hits each to account for half of McPherson's 12 hits. Jessie also had an RBI and scored three times, while Kortney drove in three and scored once. Knoeber added two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Holmes had three RBIs.

Alessia Gallegos took the loss after giving up eight runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings.

Collins had three hits and two runs scored to lead the Lions. Jenkins and Davis each had two RBIs.

Up Next
McPherson is idle until next weekend when the team welcomes Mid-America Christian University and Haskell Indian Nations University to Wall Park for a pair of nonconference doubleheaders to kick off Spring Break week. The Bulldogs - winners of four straight - face MACU at 5 p.m. Friday evening, then turn around to face Haskell at 1 p.m. Saturday.