OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — McPherson College opened the Hosea Bell Red Dirt Classic Friday (Feb. 28) in Oklahoma City with a win and a loss to Langston University and eighth-ranked Oklahoma City University, respectively.
GAME ONE – McPherson 10, Langston 7
The Lions raced out to a 5-0 lead after the first two innings, scoring three in the first and two more in the second.
But the Bulldogs began their comeback in the top of the fourth with three runs. Alivia Lange led off the frame with a single up the middle, then moved into scoring position on a double by Alexandrea Garcia. Lange would score on a ground out by Layla Towner, then an RBI double by Andrea Solis brought Garcia across the plate.
However, the Bulldogs weren't done yet in the fourth as Solis, who moved to third on a wild pitch, scored thanks to an RBI single by Savannah Robles, pulling the Bulldogs within 5-3.
Langston added to their lead in the bottom half of the inning though, only making the comeback that much sweeter. The Lions benefitted from an error to scratch across a pair of runs to make it a 7-3 advantage heading into the fifth.
Three-up-three-down for the Bulldogs in the top of the fifth again added to the drama, but MC would finally get the offense going in the sixth, scoring three runs on five hits.
A leadoff double by Solis got things started, before the Bulldogs quickly loaded the bases. Melaney Granados nearly cleared the bases with a single down the left field line, bringing Solis and pinch runner Mackenzie Birch around to score. Again, the Bulldogs would not stop there as a single up the middle by Lange, brought home Karisa Hernandez from second and trimmed the lead to 7-6.
Another quick inning by the Bulldogs defense kept their hopes alive, thanks to the solid pitching of Ashanti Thompson.
Down to their last three outs, the Bulldogs got more than enough in the top of the seventh, when Robles stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and hit her first career triple, making it a 9-6 Bulldog lead. Granados brought home Robles in the very next at-bat.
Things got dicey in the bottom of the seventh, as the Lions loaded the bases, but a groundout by Ari Bell finished it off.
Thompson was lights out in the circle for the Bulldogs, allowing just two runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.
MC finished with a season-high 13 hits, led by Lange and Solis with three apiece. Robles drove in four runs, while Granados had three RBIs.
GAME TWO – Oklahoma City 6, McPherson 0
Unfortunately, that offense did not carry over into the nightcap as the Bulldogs were held to just four hits. Towner led the Bulldogs with two hits.
The Stars offense showed why they are ranked eighth in the country, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning.
However, from there Landri Lopez was outstanding, allowing just four hits and two runs while striking out three batters the rest of the way.
MC had an opportunity for runs in the sixth, thanks to back-to-back singles by Hernandez and Robles, but the Bulldogs were unable to bring them around to score.
The Bulldog wrap up the Red Dirt Classic on Saturday (Mar. 1) with a pair of games against Harris-Stowe State and Nelson. First pitch is at 10:00 a.m.
