McPherson College Athletics

BARTLESVILLE, Okla. (macbulldogs.com) --- The McPherson College softball team wrapped up its regular season Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of one-run games with Oklahoma Wesleyan University at the OKWU Softball Field. The Bulldogs won game one, 2-1, while the Eagles held off a late McPherson charge to win game two, 3-2.

Game 1 --- McPherson 2, Oklahoma Wesleyan 1
McPherson took advantage of a pair of OKWU errors to plate a run in the first inning of game one. Jessica Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) reached on an error to lead off the game, then moved around with the aid of another error before scoring on a Jenna Christensen (Fortuna, Calif., Fortuna Union HS) RBI single.

The Eagles responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning as Michaela Shouldis rapped a leadoff double to left. She scored three batters later on an RBI double to center off the bat of Kaylee Clinton.

Neither team would get another past second base until the sixth inning. Maile Deutsch (Palmer, Texas, Ennis HS) led off the frame with a single to center and was replaced by pinch-runner Jasmine Curiel (Corona, Calif., Corona HS). Curiel moved around to third on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout before scoring when Destiny Bacon (La Mesa, Calif., Grossmont HS) reached safely due to a miscue at third base.

The Bulldogs worked around a two-out single in the bottom half of the frame and threatened to extend their lead in the top of the seventh when Jones and Chelsea Conrad (Ione, Calif., Argonaut HS) reached on back-to-back two-out singles. Deutsch grounded out to second to end the threat, however.

Oklahoma Wesleyan had one final opportunity in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch-hitter Heather Jones drew a leadoff walk then advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Following a strikeout, Desiree Cavazos reached on fielder's choice to put runners at the corners with two outs. Ashley Stone popped out to Kylecia Taylor (Junction City, Kan., Junction City HS) at third to end the game.

Christie Betker (Reno, Nev., Reno HS) got the complete-game win in the circle for McPherson, scattering five hits and three walks while striking out four.

Jones and Conrad each had two hits for the Bulldogs, who finished with seven overall.

Ashleigh Capps took the loss for OKWU, allowing two unearned runs on seven hits. She struck out a pair and did not issue a walk.

Shouldis and Jayci Wang each had two hits to lead the Eagles. Clinton's first-inning double accounted for the last of OKWU's five hits.

The game one win gave McPherson its 26th victory of the season, matching the school-record total from a year ago.

Game 2 --- Oklahoma Wesleyan 3, McPherson 2
Betker started game two as well and engaged in a pitcher's duel with Oklahoma Wesleyan starter Abbey Ely.

Ely gave up a two-out walk in the first but did not allow another base-runner until the fifth when she misplayed a ball off the bat of Taylor to lead off the inning. A sacrifice bunt moved Taylor to second base, but Ely got a pop-out and a strikeout to get out of the inning without incurring any damage.

Betker was equally tough. Perfect with three strikeouts through two innings, she got a pop-out to short and a strikeout to start the third before issuing a walk to Ashle Bode. Shouldis followed with a single, but Cavazos flew out to left to end the threat.

After a scoreless fourth, the Eagles broke through for three runs in the fifth. Kierra McFadden drew a walk to open the frame and moved to second on a Britney Howard single to left. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. After a strikeout by Anna Sutherland, Shouldis rapped a single to left that scored pinch-runner Lindsay McKenna from third. She aggressively moved towards second on the throw to the plate. Christensen cut off the throw up the third-base line and attempted to throw out Shouldis at second base. Her throw ricocheted off the bag and ended up in right-center field allowing Howard to score and Shouldis to move on to third base. After a long at-bat, Cavazos brought in Shouldis with another single to left. Clinton popped out to short to end the inning.

McPherson rallied for a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Deutsch reached on a ball through the hole at second base and was lifted for Curiel, who moved to second on a Taylor groundout. Bacon followed with single to left to put runners on the corners. Erica Almaraz (San Bernandino, Calif., Aquinas HS) got the Bulldogs on the board with an RBI double to left field that scored Curiel from third. Bacon advance to third on the play and scored two pitches later on a passed ball. McPherson left the game-tying run on third, however, as Taylor Perez (Tulsa, Okla., Memorial HS) flew out to right to end the game.

Betker tossed another complete game for the Bulldogs but took the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits and two walks. She struck out six to raise her season total to 220.

McPherson was limited to just the two seventh-inning hits.

Ely went 6 1/3 innings without conceding a hit while walking one and striking out six to get the win. Shelton got the final two outs for a save.

Shouldis accounted for two of the Eagles' five hits.

Bulldogs Seeded Sixth for KCAC Tournament
McPherson (26-22, 11-11 KCAC) has qualified for this week's KCAC Softball Tournament as the No. 6 seed and will face No. 3-seed Ottawa University at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kansas. The double-elimination tournament features eight teams playing on two fields over the course of three days. The Bulldogs tied with the University of Saint Mary for fifth place in the final league standings but the Spires received the No. 5 seed due to sweeping the regular-season doubleheader between the schools last Tuesday.