February 18, 2009

Lady Tigers rally for improbable win, sweep doubleheader vs. NOC

Trailing Northern Oklahoma College 9-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning of the first game of a doubleheader played Tuesday in Arkansas City, the No. 3-ranked Cowley College softball team erupted for 10 runs in the inning as they came from behind to win 12-9. The Lady Tigers would score five runs in the fourth inning of game two as they won the nightcap by a score of 5-3.

After being held to three hits through the first five innings of play, Cowley hit three home runs and pounded out nine hits in the sixth inning of game one. The Lady Tigers got home runs in the inning from Kristen Janway, Breayle Tackett and Jacey Juden. 

Sophomore catcher Kashilia Young hit her third home run of the season back in the first inning. Juden had her second straight rocky outing as she was chased from the game with two outs in the top of the sixth inning. Tackett relieved Juden on the mound and avoided further damage by recording the final out in the top of the sixth.

Following the 10-run outburst by the Lady Tigers in the bottom of the sixth inning, Tackett (2-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to pick up her second win of the season.

Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove was happy to see his team rally for the win, but would rather his team not get down by seven runs.

“It was nice to see the character they showed in coming back, but I don’t want to live that way,” Hargrove said. “This shows what kind of offense we have, but I thought we played really bad the first five innings.”

The 10-run inning was the Lady Tigers second in five games. Tackett, Young, and Janway each had two hits in the win.

In the second game, NOC scored a run in each of the first two innings and led 2-0 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning. Once again, Cowley made adjustments at the plate and rallied to score five runs in the fourth. Alysha Poteat got the scoring started as her double scored Juden, who reached base with a one-out single. Janway followed with a RBI single and freshman centerfielder Taylor Cantillon, who was making her first start of the season, capped the inning with a three-run homer.

“They had a drop ball pitcher that we were not making contact with,” Hargrove said. “The hitters made adjustments from the first time to the second time around and we started putting hits together.”

Freshman Ashley Spencer (2-0) started on the mound for Cowley and earned her second win of the season as she allowed six hits and three runs in seven innings pitched.

“Ashley has come so far in such a short period of time,” Hargrove said. “She’s really throwing the ball well and I expect her to get better and better.”

Sophomore second baseman Sarah Smith had two of the Lady Tigers’ seven hits in the win. The victories improve Cowley’s record to 5-1 on the season.

The Lady Tigers will be back in action Tuesday when they play a doubleheader at Rose State beginning at 1 p.m.