SALINA, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College softball team inched closer to locking up a berth in the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) Tournament with a doubleheader split against Kansas Wesleyan University at Bill Burke Park.
The Coyotes (17-25, 7-13Â KCAC) won game one, 3-1, while the Bulldogs (25-19, 10-8 KCAC) took game two by an 8-1 score.
Game 1 --- Kansas Wesleyan 3, McPherson 1
McPherson out-hit Kansas Wesleyan, 5-3, led by three hits from
Maile Deutsch (Palmer, Texas, Ennis HS), and got nine strikeouts from
Christie Betker (Reno, Nev., Reno HS), but left-fielder Lindsay Maryon and pitcher Megan Krause put the Coyotes on their backs in the opener.
KWU plated an early run in the bottom of the first inning as Maryon tripled to right-center, then scored on a Lauren Blue RBI single. The Coyotes added a run in the fourth. Maryon reached on an error to lead off the inning, then stole second and third bases before scoring on a Tara Stubits sacrifice fly.
Deutsch singled in the first and fourth innings to account for McPherson's only base runners in the first five innings. That changed in the sixth inning as
Taylor Hires-Caulk (Fernley, Nev., Central Arizona College) and
Jessica Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) registered back-to-back singles to open the frame. Deutsch followed two batters later with an RBI double to score Hires-Caulk while Jones was tagged out in a rundown. Deutsch would be stranded at second when
Jenna Christensen (Fortuna, Calif., Fortuna Union HS) struck out to end the inning.
Maryon made it 3-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth and Krause struck out the side in the seventh to end the game.
Betker took the loss, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits and a walk while striking out nine.
Krause earned the complete-game win, striking out 11 while conceding just one run on five hits.
Game 2 --- McPherson 8, Kansas Wesleyan 1
The visitors took the early lead in the late game, plating one in the top of the first when Jones turned a leadoff single to short into a run on a Deutsch RBI groundout.
McPherson added three runs in the third as Deutsch plated two more on a double to left-center, then scored on an
Erica Almaraz (San Bernandino, Calif., Aquinas HS)Â single to center.
The Bulldogs extended the lead to 8-0 with four fifth-inning runs on five hits and a pair of Coyote errors. Christensen and Hires-Caulk had RBI singles,
Kylecia Taylor (Junction City, Kan., Junction City HS) rapped an RBI double and Amanda Connell had a sacrifice fly.
Kansas Wesleyan extended the game with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Kayla Kruel came home on an Emily Sparks RBI single down the left-field line. The Coyotes ended up stranding a pair of runners in the frame and led off the sixth and seventh innings with base hits, but could not push another run across.
Betker picked up the victory in the circle for McPherson, striking out four while scattering nine hits and a pair of walks.
Almaraz led all players with three hits and an RBI, while Hires-Caulk and
Taylor Perez (Tulsa, Okla., Memorial HS) had two hits apiece. Deutsch finished with a game-high three RBIs.
Stubits got the start - and the loss - for KWU, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits in 2 2/3 innings before being replace by Krause. Krause threw the final 4 1/3 innings, allowing four more runs (one earned) on seven hits and a pair of walks. She struck out six.
McPherson currently holds down the fifth seed for the KCACÂ Tournament with four games to play. However, with most of this weekend's league action being moved to Sunday or Monday, there is sure to be plenty of movement in the KCACÂ standings.
The Bulldogs return to the diamond Tuesday afternoon with a doubleheader against the University of Saint Mary (14-28, 7-9 KCAC). First pitch from Leavenworth is slated for 1 p.m.
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