Photo by Micah Gilbert
Langston, Okla. – The McPherson College softball team was back on the diamond after an 11 day hiatus. The Bulldogs traveled to Langston, Oklahoma for a pair of games against the Langston University Lions, and Goshen College Maple Leafs.
The Bulldogs wound up splitting the two games, defeating Langston in the opener 7-5, but falling to the Maple Leafs in game two, 5-0. With the split they find themselves 8-3 on the season.
In game one, Brittany Baroni (Jr. Galt, Calif.) got the start in the circle. She left the game after just two-thirds of an inning, facing just four batters, and allowing one run on two hits. Katy Wilson (Jr. Princeton, Texas) came out of the pen and worked the next two and a third innings giving up four runs on seven hits. In the fourth inning, Coach Segovia went to his pen again and brought in his lefty, Shelby Bonn (Jr. Shawnee, Kan.). Bonn went the rest of the way, picking up the win in four innings of scoreless work that included three strikeouts.
Kylecia Taylor (Jr. Junction City, Kan.) and Maile Deutsch (Jr. Palmer, Texas) had the hot bats at the plate for the Bulldogs against the Lions, both going 3 for 4. Taylor finished with three singles, an RBI and another run scored, while Deutsch had two singles, a double, and a run scored. The big hit in the game came off the bat of Ali Smith (Sr. Lodi, Calif.), a two run home run in the fifth inning.
The Bulldogs led the Lions 4-1 after two and a half innings played, but the Lions took the lead in their half of the third inning, when they put four on the board. Two innings later the Bulldogs retook the lead when they scored three runs, two of them from Smith's bomb. With a two run lead, Bonn went to work, holding the Lions scoreless the rest of the way.
Things didn't go so well for the Bulldogs in the final game of the day against Goshen. The Maple Leafs had a pretty solid #1 in the circle and she shut out the Bulldogs on just three hits. The Bulldog hits were singles by Brnady Trengove (Jr. Wheat Ridge, Colo.) and Deutsch, and a double by Taylor.
In the circle for the Bulldogs was Reagan Kleppe (Fr. McKinney, Texas). Kleppe pitched a complete game, giving up five runs, four of them earned, on 14 hits. She fanned four and walked none in the loss.
"We came out a little rusty today," said Coach Segovia. "The weather has played some havoc on us but it was good to get back on the field and play. Proud of the kids for getting the split today. They played hard and continue to get better every day."
 Next up for the Bulldogs is a road trip to Wichita next Wednesday to play Newman University. First pitch of the double header is slated for 2 p.m.
Â
