Cowley softball splits doubleheader in Missouri

Playing a doubleheader in Neosho, Mo. on Saturday, the No. 8-ranked Cowley College softball team opened with an 18-0 win over Carl Albert before losing to a talented Crowder College squad by a score of 9-1.

Cowley pounded out 20 hits in just four innings in the run rule win over Carl Albert. Freshman Kashilia Young continues to impress at the plate as she belted two more home runs, her fifth and sixth of the season. Young finished with three RBI’s and scored three times in the win.

Fellow freshman Breayle Tackett also continues to swing a hot bat as she went 4-for-4 with two RBI’s and four runs scored. Tackett is now batting .452 with 13 RBI’s.

Heather Davis allowed just two hits in five innings to improve to 5-0 on the season. Davis struck out nine and walked five.

“We really hit the ball well that first game and Heather threw real well” Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove said.

In game two, Cowley trailed Crowder, which is ranked No. 18 in the NJCAA Division I poll, just 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. However, an error to start the inning opened the flood gates as the Lady Riders would go on to score seven times in the inning and end the game by run-rule.

“After the error to lead off the sixth the momentum just kind of snowballed to their favor and we just could not stop it,” Hargrove said.

Following the error to open the inning, Crowder got six hits off Lady Tiger starter Jacey Juden (2-3). Prior to the sixth inning, Juden had allowed just four hits and one earned run.

“I thought through five innings Jacey threw real well,” Hargrove said.

Juden accounted for the Lady Tigers’ only run of the game as she hit a solo home run leading off the second inning. Juden is now 13-of-27 at the plate on the season. Unfortunately, Cowley managed just one other hit off Crowder pitcher Alex Peters, who struck out eight, including the final four batters she faced.

Cowley will be back in action Tuesday when they host Coffeyville in the conference opener for both teams. The first game of the doubleheader will begin at 2 p.m.

“Coffeyville is always one of the better teams in the conference, so it will be a nice challenge for us to open conference play against them,” Hargrove said.