Fort Worth, Texas – The McPherson College softball team opened up the 2019 season on the road this past weekend at the Cowtown Classic in Fort Worth, Texas. The Bulldogs were originally scheduled to play five games over a two day span, but Mother Nature had other plans. The weather in the Dallas-Fort Worth area turned out to be cold with intermittent rain showers, forcing two of the Bulldogs' games to be cancelled.
In the three games they were able to play, the Bulldogs played well in the field, but struggled to drive in runs at the plate. McPherson racked up twenty hits over the three games, but were only able to score seven runs. They lost all three games on the weekend, but only by a total of four runs.
They opened the classic against the Texas Wesleyan University Rams, who were receiving votes in the NAIA's preseason top 25 poll. The Bulldogs got a dominating performance in the circle from
Christie Betker (Jr. Reno, Nev.). Betker scattered five hits, and allowed just two runs, but was collared with the loss, despite striking out 11 batters, and issuing zero walks. The Bulldog hitters, behind Betker scored one run on five hits, but stranded four runners on base. The Bulldog offense was led by
Jessica Jones (Jr. Brentwood, Calif.), who went 2 for 3, and scored the Bulldogs' only run. Jones was driven in by a single from
Ali Smith (Jr. Loda, Calif.) in the top of the first inning.
The Bulldogs led for six of the seven innings of the game. They scored in their first at bat, and then held the Rams scoreless for six innings in a row. The Rams had only three hits through the first six innings, but in the bottom of the seventh, they got two key hits that led to a walk off win, 2-1.
In game two on Friday, the Bulldogs squared off against Huston-Tillotson University from Austin, Texas. The Bulldogs ultimately dropped the game, 3-2, in extra innings, with
Sydney Lang (Sr. Topeka, Kan.) in the circle. Lang went the distance, allowing two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and two walks. Again the offense was unable to give their starting pitcher the run support she needed. The Bulldog hitters managed five hits to push across two runs. This time it was
Cori Alexander (So. Roanoke, Texas), and
Chelsea Conrad (Sr. Ione, Calif.) who had multiple hits for the Bulldogs. Conrad was 2 for 3 while Alexander went 2 for 2.
The Bulldogs and HTSU were tied 1-1 after the end of the first inning. The Rams took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning and the McPherson ladies responded two innings later, tying the game again and forcing extra innings. Unfortunately in the eighth inning, the Bulldogs were unable to plate a run, and the Rams won the game in the next half inning on a walk off hit.
On Saturday, the Bulldogs' first game was cancelled, so they retook the field at 12:00 against the Central Baptist College Mustangs. The Bulldogs handed the ball to
Brittany Baroni (Jr. Galt, Calif.) in the circle. Baroni worked the first four innings, allowing three runs on six hits. In the fifth inning, Lang was called on in relief of Baroni. She threw the final four innings giving up two runs on four hits and ended up taking the loss.
The Bulldog offense equaled their hit total from the first two games, in game three against CBC. They came up with ten hits, but struggled to get enough timely hits to push across more runs, finishing with four. Conrad continued to see the ball well, coming up with a 4 for 4 performance with three singles, a double, and an RBI.
Jenna Christensen (So. Fortuna, Calif.), also had a multi-hit performance going 3 for 5 with a stolen base, a run scored, and an RBI.
The Mustangs led 3-2 through six and a half innings. The Bulldogs tied the game at three in the bottom of the seventh inning forcing extra innings again. The Mustangs scored three runs in their half of the eighth to take a 6-3 lead, but the Bulldogs were only able to plate one run in their final at bat, and ultimately fell 6-4.
At 0-3, the Bulldogs will get a chance to get on the right side of .500 when they travel to Springfield, Missouri next weekend to play four games in the Doubletree Classic hosted by Evangel University. Check the Bulldogs' schedule page,
https://macbulldogs.com/schedule.aspx?path=softball, for teams and times.
