McPHERSON, Kan. — The No. 11-ranked Grand View University Vikings traveled to Bulldog Park Saturday afternoon (Feb. 18) for McPherson College's Opening Day matchup and knocked off the Bulldogs to sweep the series.
After a 10-1 loss, where the bulldogs could only muster four hits in 17 at-bats, the second game of the doubleheader was played much closer. The McPherson batting brigade came out hot.
Recording five hits through four innings, the Bulldogs found themselves down 5-1. The group of runs began with two costly third-inning errors where Vikings runner, Abby Sutten, was able to advance to third off of a single.
The Bulldogs were held scoreless from the second inning through the fifth. During that stretch, seven runners were left on base. But the game began to turn around in the 6th after MacKenzie Egan sent a ball over the left field wall, bringing in Tatyana Alvarado and Lauren Skinner for a 3-run home run.
With all the momentum in their favor, the Bulldogs recorded two quick outs in the top of the 7th, but another pair of errors let the Vikings grow their lead back to 8 to 5.
The bulldogs first two batters struck out, but Skinner gave some juice to her squad with a double. Alvarado was able to advance to first from an error. Then the game came down to Egan again.
After a fierce 12-pitch at-bat, where a few foul balls looked as if they were going to tie the game, the final pitch came off of Egan's bat and bounced straight to the pitcher for the force out at first.
Alvarado finished the day 4-for-6 at the dish for the Bulldogs, while Kassidy New had four hits and an RBI.
Jordyn Johnson got the ball in the nightcap and struck out six batters in seven innings of work.
The Bulldogs will travel to Kansas Christian College on Tuesday (Feb. 21) for their first road games of the season.
