Photo by Jakob Komel
Wichita, Kan. – The McPherson College softball team earned another split on Thursday, this time on the road against the Friends University Falcons.
The Bulldogs dropped the opening game of the double header 6-3, with Raegan Kleppe getting the start in the circle. She went six innings, giving up six runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Three of the four Falcon hits were solo homeruns, the other was a bases loaded double that drove in the other three runs.
Offensively, the Bulldogs had three more hits than the Falcons, but couldn't find a way to string enough hits together to score more runs. In the end, they managed three runs on seven hits, led by Amanda Ambrosy and Brandy Trengove, who were both 2 for 4 in the game. The Bulldogs had two extra-base hits in the game, both doubles by Trengove and Lacy Weaver.
In game two, the Bulldogs flipped the script, winning the nightcap 7-5. Things started off on a good note for the Bulldogs offensively. Mackenzie Egan put the MC ladies on the scoreboard, hitting a three run home run to right field. After the Falcons cut the Bulldog lead to 3-2 with a run in each of the first two innings, Trengove hit a two run bomb to extend the Bulldog lead to 5-2. A sac fly by Weaver in the fifth, hat drove in Ambrosy, gave MC a four run cushion, 6-2.
That would turn out to be a huge run as the Falcons scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to one, 6-5. In the top of the seventh, Trengove gave the Bulldogs some insurance, hitting her second homerun of the game to put the Bulldogs up two again, 7-5. It got a little tense for the Bulldogs in their defensive half of the seventh.
A lead-off walk brought the tying run to the plate. The next hitter popped up to Molly Booker at 2nd base for the first out of the inning, but the next Falcon hitter hit a single to put runners at first and second and the now the winning run at the plate. Next up was the hard hitting Falcon catcher. She got the barrel on the ball and sent a line drive up the middle, just left of second base. Egan, the Bulldog shortstop made a brilliant play, catching the line drive and nearly doubling up runner on first.
The Falcons still had two on and the winning run at the plate, now with two outs. The Falcon DP, who had already hit a homerun earlier in the game was at the dish. She rolled over the ball, and sent it on the ground just to the left of second base. Egan again strolled over scooped it up and stepped on second to end the Falcon threat.
Jordyn Johnson got the start in the circle and picked up the win. She went five and two-thirds allowing five runs on five hits with five strikeouts and four walks. She got the first two outs of the sixth inning before running into some trouble. She exited the game with the bases loaded and the Bulldogs brought back Kleppe. She picked up the save, working the final inning and a third, holding the Falcons scoreless, and giving up just one hit, while recording one strikeout.
"We started off slow in game 1 and that would end up getting us," said Bulldog head coach Tony Segovia. "Loved the bounce back in game 2. We will continue to work and get better. Proud of this group!"
 The split still keeps the Bulldogs a game under .500 overall at 14-15, but they are two games above that mark at 5-3 in KCAC play.
Â
