KANSAS CITY, Kan. - After narrowly falling in the first game of a doubleheader, 6-5 against Cowley County CC on Saturday, the No. 12 KCKCC softball team put together a 10-3 route over the Tigers in the final contest to split the day.
KCKCC is now 17-5 overall and 4-2 in the KJCCC.
In game one, the Blue Devils grabbed a 2-1 lead after the first inning when Maya Sheldon scored on a Tigers' error and Savannah Maynard brought Bradi Basler in on a sacrifice fly ball in the first inning. Cowley regained the lead at 4-2 in the fourth inning, but the Blue Devils earned themselves another pair of runs in the fifth. After a triple from Basler, McKenna Lester hit a ball into the outfield to score her. McKenzie Ogden later gave the Blue Devils some momentum with a two-out RBI double to tie the game at 4-4.
Cowley was able to score a pair of runs in the seventh inning, but the Blue Devils started to put together a rally in the bottom half. Basler started the inning with a walk and later scored on a sacrifice fly from Kaitlyn Bradbury. The sacrifice fly ball would be the second out of the inning and the Tigers managed to get out of the jam with the win.
Basler scored three runs and had two hits to lead the team and Breanna Droge was credited with the loss in the circle.
KCKCC's offense awoke in the second game and the route started early for the squad. Maynard gave the team a 2-0 lead in the first inning after she hit a two-RBI double to score Basler and Lester. Basler added a two-RBI double of her own in the third inning and the Blue Devils took a 4-0 lead. Cowley finally scored in the fourth frame to cut the deficit to two runs, but the hot-offense from the Blue Devils continued in the bottom half. KCKCC lit up the Tigers for six runs their turn at bat as Madison Pope started the inning with an RBI single. Ogden would later knock in Trinity Tauer for an RBI-single before Basler stepped up and hit a grand slam to give KCKCC a 10-2 lead.
Cowley would add a run in the sixth, but the Blue Devils came out on top with the easy victory.
Basler had a monster game with two hits and six RBI, while Sheldon added a team leading three hits and also scored two runs. Basler earned her eighth win in the circle and struck out six Tiger batters.
The Blue Devils are back in action on Monday when they play at Independence Community College at 2 p.m.
