Photo by Tabor SID Staff
Great Bend, Kan. – The McPherson College softball team opened up the KCAC tournament on Wednesday with a split of their first two games. The Bulldogs started out with a 2-1 win over the Oklahoma Wesleyan University Eagles, but fell in the nightcap 6-1 to the Ottawa University Braves.
In the opener, it was a two run home run by Kylecia Taylor that was the difference. The game was tied 0-0 going into the top of the 3rd inning. With one out in the inning, Destiny Bacon reached base on a single bringing Taylor to the plate. With a favorable 2-0 hitters count, Taylor got a pitch she liked, and she parked it over the left field fence.
A half inning later the Eagles cut the deficit in half with a lead-off double ty Taylor Stefek and then an RBI single from their DP Lindy Alexander. Four more innings were played, but Taylor's homerun would be the difference as the Bulldogs hung on for a one run victory.
Raegan Kleppe went the distance in the circle for the Bulldogs and picked up the win. She gave us just one run on five hits with three strikeouts and just one walk. The Bulldog offense gave her just enough support, scoring two runs on six hits, led by Bacon, Taylor, and Mackenzie Egan who all were 2 for 3 in the game.
Right after the win, the Bulldogs were back on the diamond, taking on the top seeded Ottawa University Braves in the winners' bracket. The Bulldogs led the Braves 1-0 through four innings of play, but gave up four runs in the bottom of the 5th and two more in the 6th to fall 6-1 to the KCAC regular season champs.
Katy Wilson got the start in the circle for the Bulldogs and was shackled with the loss. She went four and a third giving up two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts and one walk. Shelby Bonn came out of the bullpen with one out in the fifth. She went the rest of the way, giving up four runs on four hits with two walks.
The Bulldog offense recorded five hits, led by Kai Redus who was 2 for 3. The lone Bulldog run was scored by Destiny Bacon who reached base via a fielder's choice in the third inning, then came around to score on an RBI double by Taylor.
"I was proud of the kids today," said Bulldog head coach Tony Segovia. "They played hard both games, but just came up short game two. We will come back tomorrow ready to keep working and taking this one game at a time."
The Bulldogs, now 1-1 in the tournament will square off on Thursday at 1:30 against the winner of Bethany College and Oklahoma Wesleyan University, who play an elimination game at 11:00 am.
