McPHERSON, Kan. (macbulldogs.com) --- Delayed a day due to the weather, the McPherson College softball team split a matinee doubleheader with Friends University Thursday afternoon at Bulldog Park.
The Bulldogs (18-16, 3-5 Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference) took game one, 1-0, behind a 15-strikeout performance from
Christie Betker (Reno, Nev., Reno HS), while the Falcons (15-17, 6-2 KCAC) responded with an 11-1, 5-inning victory in game two.
Game 1 --- McPherson 1, Friends 0
McPherson had an early chance as
Jessica Jones (Brentwood, Calif., Liberty HS) reached on a single to left in the bottom of the first. She then stole second and third but ended up stuck there after a pair of strikeouts and a pop-out behind the plate ended the inning.
The Bulldogs didn't have another base-runner until the fourth when
Ali Smith (Lodi, Calif., Lodi HS) beat out an infield single.
Kylecia Taylor (Junction City, Kan., Junction City HS) led off the fifth with a single to left and moved around to third on a pair of ground-outs but was left there when Jones bunted right back to Friends pitcher Maci Walker to end the inning.
The lone run of the game came in the sixth inning.
Chelsea Conrad (Ione, Calif., Argonaut HS) opened the inning with a single through the right side, then moved to second when
Maile Deutsch (Palmer, Texas, Ennis HS) reached on a bunt single.
Jenna Christensen (Fortuna, Calif., Fortuna Union HS) followed with a sacrifice bunt to put both runners in scoring position. then bunted in an attempt to squeeze Conrad home. The ball went straight back to Walker in front of the circle, whose throw sailed wide of home plate. Conrad retreated to third on the initial throw, but reversed course and was able to score when catcher Kylie Fox's throw back to the plate also missed the mark.
The Falcons led off the fifth with consecutive singles, but two strikeouts sandwiched around a pop-out allowed the Bulldogs to avoid any damage. Friends stranded a runner in the sixth and had one on with one out after Renee Downey singled down the right-field line, but Betker struck out Beth Cagle looking for the second out and Christensen threw out pinch-runner Cassie Jones at second to end the game.
Betker picked up the complete-game win, scattering five hits. McPherson's first eight outs came via a Betker strikeout. She struck out the side in the first inning, worked around a one-out triple in the second, and struck out the first two batters of the third before Isabella Gonzalez lined out to second to end the frame.
Walker took the loss, striking out four while allowing five hits and a walk.
Game 2 --- Friends 11, McPherson 1 (5 innings)
Friends wasted little time taking the lead in game two as the first six hitters of the game reached base and scored off McPherson game two starter
Sydney Lang (Topeka, Kan., Shawnee Heights HS). Gonzalez scored on a Kaelyn Smith RBI single and Mackenzie Nichols drew a bases-loaded walk before Shelby Belloni cleared the bases with a triple to right-center, prompting Bulldog head coach
Ashley Hickman to call on
Shelby Bonn (Shawnee, Kan., Mill Valley HS) from the bullpen. Bonn got a pair of outs and issued a walk before Friends successfully executed a double steal to score Belloni from third. Gonzalez then lined out to second to end the frame.
The Bulldogs stranded two runners in the first and another in the second as they found themselves to cut into the deficit against Walker, who also started game two in the circle for the Falcons.
Bonn ran into trouble in the third as Mackenzie Nichols reached on a leadoff walk then scored on a Renee Downey RBI single. Downey then came across on an Emily Escobar RBI double to right-center to put Friends up 8-0. The Escobar double marked the end of Bonn's day as Betker was brought back into close out the inning.
McPherson got on the board in the bottom of the third as Jones and Conrad reached on back-to-back singles, then moved to second and third on a double steal. Jones was cut down at the plate when Deutsch reached on a fielder's choice to short before Conrad came home on a Christensen sacrifice fly to center to make it 8-1.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases with three 2-out singles in the fourth but could not push a run across as Conrad popped out to Walker in the circle to end the inning.
Friends tallied three runs in the fifth to push the lead to 11-1. First, Moriah Kayhill scored on a squeeze play, then Gonzalez hit a two-run triple to left-center.
McPherson worked to extend the game in the bottom of the fifth with Christensen rapping a single to left, but a groundout and a strikeout ended the game.
After taking the loss in game one, Walker scored the win in game two. She scattered six hits and struck out three while allowing just one run in four innings of work. Heather Breslin pitched a scoreless fifth for the Falcons.
Friends held a 10-7 advantage in hits with Belloni finishing with two hits, three RBIs and two runs scored and Gonzalez chipping in with two hits and two runs. Each had a triple. Nichols had just one hit, but drew three walks and scored twice.
Lang took the loss for the Bulldogs, allowing six runs on five hits and a walk without retiring a batter in the first. Bonn followed, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings before yielding to Betker.
Betker threw the final 2 1/3 innings, striking out two while giving up three runs on three hits and a pair of walks. With 17 strikeouts on the day, she surpassed 300 career strikeouts (now 311) and needs just nine Ks to match the single-season mark of 160 she set a year ago.
Jones and Christensen were the only McPherson players with multiple hits in game two.
Sterling Doubleheader Moved to April 12
Due to impending inclement weather, Saturday's scheduled KCACÂ doubleheader at Sterling College has been moved to Thursday, April 12. First pitch for game one is slated for 5 p.m. With the Sterling doubleheader now moved down the slate, the Bulldogs are next in action Tuesday, April 10, with a KCACÂ doubleheader at Bethany College beginning at 2 p.m.
