Cowley SB sweeps
Softball team returns to action with doubleheader sweep at Dodge City
Returning to the diamond after a 13-day hiatus, the No. 2-ranked Cowley College softball team swept a doubleheader at Dodge City on Monday by scores of 9-4 and 7-5.
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The victories improve Cowley's record to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. Dodge City falls to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in the conference.
"We hit the ball well and pitched well except for a couple of innings," Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove said. "It was good to get out there since we hadn't played in a while."
In game one, sophomore pitcher Jessica Seay shut out Dodge City over the first five innings as Cowley built a 9-0 lead. However, Seay ran into trouble in the bottom of the sixth inning as Dodge City's Lindsey Karlin hit a three-run homer and the Lady Conquistadors scored four times in the inning.
Freshman Taya Haney came in to pitch a perfect seventh inning and help preserve the win. Seay struck out four and walked none as she improved her record to 3-1 on the season.
Dodge City's Jordan Meacham surrendered nine runs on eight hits and eight walks as she went the distance on the mound.
Lady Tiger sophomore centerfielder Jordan Haya had a big game at the plate as she went 2-for-2 with a home run and four runs batted in. Haya also walked twice and scored three times while batting in the cleanup spot.
In game two, Cowley trailed 2-1 before sophomore first baseman Sierra Schumacher hit a game-tying solo home run leading off the top of the fifth inning. Stephanie Couser then reached base on an error and came around to score the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Haya.
Cowley added to its lead thanks to a pair of two-run singles by Haya and Caitlyn Cosme in a four-run sixth inning.
Lady Tiger sophomore Brooke Benge (4-0) pitched the first four innings and allowed five hits and two runs. Haney relieved Benge on the mound and pitched a scoreless fifth inning before running into trouble in the sixth.
Dodge City got a two-run single from catcher Haley Wedgewood and a run scoring sacrifice fly from Karlin to pull within 7-5.
That was enough for Hargrove to bring Seay into the game to pitch the seventh. Seay struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief as she earned her first save of the season.
Haya went 1-for-3 with three RBIs, while Schumacher and Rondeci Oliver added two hits a piece. Oliver finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs in the doubleheader.
Freshman Lauren Kelley took the loss for Dodge City, allowing 10 hits and seven runs in seven innings.
Cowley will continue its busy week by playing a doubleheader at the Kansas Wesleyan University JV Tuesday at 3 p.m. in Salina. The Lady Tigers will then host Coffeyville Wednesday at 2 p.m.
Beginning with Monday's doubleheader at Dodge City, Cowley is scheduled to play 14 games in a span of eight days.
"I told the players this week will kind of define our season," Hargrove said. "We want to go into (spring) break with some momentum."
Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Cowley 1 0 1 0 3 4 0 - 9 8 1
Dodge 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 - 4 5 1
Game two R H E
Cowley 1 0 0 0 2 4 0 - 7 10 0
Dodge 0 0 0 2 0 3 0 - 5 9 3