February 17, 2010

Softball opens with a pair of one-run defeats

It had been a long time since the No. 5-ranked Cowley College softball team had been swept in a doubleheader. It had been even longer since they opened a season 0-and-2. Unfortunately, both of those things happened on Tuesday in Arkansas City as the Lady Tigers lost a pair of one-run games in their season opener against Northern Oklahoma College.

Cowley lost both games by scores of 4-3. Even more surprising than the two defeats was that returning All-American Ashley Spencer was tagged with the loss in both games. Spencer, who went 24-1 as a freshman, has already lost more games than she did all of last season. However, Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove expects Spencer to bounce back from the disappointing start.

“I know the kind of competitor Ashley is and this will be just a little bump in the road,” Hargrove said.

What hurt the Lady Tigers on Tuesday was their inability to retire NOC’s leadoff batter as the Mavericks’ leadoff batter reached base in seven of the doubleheaders’ 14 innings. All eight of NOC’s runs in the two games came in the innings the leadoff batters reached base.

“We stress getting the first out and not giving extra outs,” Hargrove said. “It shows when you let the leadoff batter reach base the other team has a good chance to score.”

In the first game, the score was tied 1-1 heading into the sixth inning. The Lady Mavericks took the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth as four of their seven hits in the game came in the inning.

Cowley got run scoring singles from Taylor Cantillon and Alyssa Allison in the bottom of the sixth to pull within 4-3. The Lady Tigers looked poised to send the game to extra innings as Sarah Hocker led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Haley Heincker.

Alysha Poteat’s grounder to second moved Hocker to third base with two outs, and Nichole Cuthbertson walked to put runners at first and third with two outs. The threat would end when freshman Bri Akers grounded out to second to end the game.

Spencer allowed seven hits and four runs, while striking out six and walking two. Cuthbertson was a bright spot in defeat as she reached base all four times at bat as she singled twice and walked twice.
Freshman Starr McLeod started on the mound for Cowley in game two and gave the Lady Tigers five solid innings. McLeod allowed only three hits and two runs in five innings as she left the game with Cowley on top 3-2.

Hargrove elected to bring Spencer in to pitch the sixth in hopes of preserving the victory. But, Spencer walked the leadoff batter, Elizabeth Agpalo, and allowed the tying run to score on a single by Justine Kodesh.

One again in the top of the seventh inning, NOC’s leadoff batter reached base as Kelsea Schultz singled. Schultz would advance to second on a single by Katie Jirak, and scored the winning run on a one-out single by Agpalo.

Cowley would again have the tying run on second base with only one out in the bottom of the seventh inning but were unable to scratch the run across the plate.

Every player in Cowley’s lineup had one hit in the second game. Cowley out-hit NOC 16-14 in the doubleheader but were unable to get the big hits when they needed them.

McLeod, a freshman from Girard, KS, allowed just three hits in five innings in her Tiger debut.

“When you have a freshman pitcher out there for the first time you are not sure how they will respond, but Starr was very good,” Hargrove said.

Cowley will be back in action today when they host Rose State in a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.
“I am glad we are playing today,” Hargrove said. “We will probably make several changes to our lineup and hope our pitchers have better concentration on the leadoff batters.”