GOODWELL, Okla. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College softball team had its offense on full display Sunday, accounting for 24 runs on 29 hits against Oklahoma Panhandle State University, but could only manage a split in the nonconference doubleheader between the teams at Aggie Field.
The Bulldogs took game one, 11-1, in five innings, but dropped game two by a 14-13 score. Both games were played in blustery conditions with winds out of the southwest at 35 miles per hour.
Game 1 --- McPherson 11, Panhandle State 1 (5 inn.)
The Bulldogs jumped on the Aggies early in game one, taking advantage of three errors in the first two innings to build a 5-0 lead. The big blow came in the second inning when
Chelsea Conrad (Ione, Calif., Argonaut HS) delivered a two-run double to center that scored
Jessica Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) and
Kylecia Taylor (Junction City, Kan., Junction City HS). Conrad scored on a
Maile Deutsch (Palmer, Texas, Ennis HS) sacrifice fly later in the frame.
After a scoreless third inning, McPherson piled on four more runs in the fourth. The Bulldogs opened with three consecutive hits, the last of which was a two-run double to left field by
Ali Smith (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS). Smith later scored on a
Jenna Christensen (Fortuna, Calif., Fortuna Union HS) single to put McPherson up 8-0.
Panhandle plated an unearned run in the fourth inning, but McPherson put the game away with three runs in the top of the fifth. Again, the Bulldogs opened the inning with three straight hits, then scored on a fielder's choice and another two-run double by Smith. McPherson reloaded the bases after drawing a pair of walks but could not push across another run.
OPSU loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth courtesy of two singles and a walk, but a strikeout and a double play ended the game.
Christie Betker (Reno, Nev., Reno HS) tossed a solid game in the circle, scattering three hits and a walk while striking out 10 in a complete-game effort.
Jones led all players with three hits and three runs scored from her leadoff spot in the lineup. Conrad, Smith, Christensen and
Kimberly Trice (Antioch, Calif., Tennessee State Uniersity) all added two hits apiece with Smith finishing with five RBIs. Conrad and Deutsch drove in two each.
Jewell Lee had one of Panhandle's three hits and accounted for the Aggies' lone run in game one.
Game 2 --- Panhandle State 14, McPherson 13
After both teams plated a run in the opening inning of game two, McPherson grabbed a 5-1 lead with four runs in the second frame.
Destiny Bacon (La Mesa, Calif., Grossmont HS) scored on a
Taylor Hires-Caulk (Fernley, Nev., Central Arizona College) RBI single and two more came across on a Conrad fielder's choice before Conrad herself scored on a Trice double to right-center. The Bulldogs added three more runs in the third to push the lead to 8-1.
The Aggies responded with seven runs in the bottom half of the third as eight of the first nine batters reached against Bulldog starter
Katy Wilson (Princeton, Texas, Princeton HS). Lindsay Jacobs, Jena Konieczka and Julie Ibarra all had run-scoring doubles in the frame, while Kara Ortiz had an RBI triple. Betker relieved Wilson and quickly got out of the inning with a pair of fly-ball outs.
After a scoreless fourth inning, McPherson moved back out in front as Christensen scored on a Hires-Caulk RBI double in the fifth. Panhandle answered with four runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run single by Lee and a two-run double by Brooklyne Bolton.
The Aggies' lead would be short-lived, though, as the Bulldogs put up four runs in the sixth highlighted by a Deutsch two-run home run. Christensen followed with an RBI triple, then scored on a Taylor sacrifice fly to lead 12-9.
Betker got out of the sixth, giving up just a single, but the Bulldogs were unable to add to their lead in the top of seventh.
In the bottom half of the frame, the Aggies were quickly down to their final out after Anjunessia Husband popped out to Betker in the circle and Lee flew out to left to open the inning. Ibarra extended the game with a single to left. Bolton followed with a single to second base that was mishandled by the Bulldogs, leaving Bolton at second and pinch-runner Brileigh Murphree at third. Jaylinn Reyes completed the comeback with a walk-off double to right-center to plate Murphree and Bolton.
Betker took the loss, allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits with a pair of walks and four strikeouts over the final 4.1 innings.
Christensen led the Bulldogs with three hits and three runs scored, while Deutsch and Hires-Caulk each had two hits and three RBIs.
Lee, Ibarra, Bolton and Konieczka each had three hits for OPSU, which finished with 18 in the game. Reyes had two hits and drove in four, while Jacobs, Bolton and Lee each had a pair of RBIs.
Ibarra pitched a perfect seventh inning to scavenge a win for the Aggies.
McPherson (4-4) is idle until Saturday when they open the Bulldog Park Softball Diamond with a triangular against Dordt College and Baker University. McPherson and Dordt open the day with an 11 a.m. game followed by Dordt and Baker at 1 p.m. The Bulldogs face Baker in the final game of the day at 3 p.m.
