March 31, 2010

Lady Tigers run winning streak to five games

Getting home runs from Alysha Poteat and Nichole Cuthbertson, the Cowley College softball team swept a doubleheader against Brown Mackie Tuesday in Arkansas City.

After winning game one by a score of 4-0, the Lady Tigers run-ruled Brown Mackie 10-2 in the nightcap. Cowley has now won five games in a row and seven of its last eight to improve to 17-9 overall and 8-2 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.

“Brown Mackie was much more competitive than they have been in previous years, so I was pleased with most aspects of the games,” Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove said.

Poteat and  Cuthbertson starred at Girard High School and are now doing the same at Cowley. Cuthbertson’s two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning of game one helped propel the Lady Tigers to the 4-0 win. While, Poteat’s three-run homer finished off the 10-2 run-rule win of game two.

Cuthbertson and Poteat are tied for the team lead in home runs (5), while Cuthbertson leads the squad with 24 runs batted in and Poteat is second with 23.

“They have really played well for us, and that is why they bat third and fourth in the lineup,” Hargrove said.
Sophomore Ashley Spencer struck out 12 en route to a two-hit shutout in game one.

Poteat got the scoring started in game two as her RBI single scored Sarah Hocker, who doubled with one out in the first inning. Taylor Cantillon’s RBI double would score Poteat to put Cowley on top 2-0.

After Brown Mackie scored a run off Lady Tiger pitcher Starr McLeod in the top of the second inning, Cowley answered back with RBI singles from Charlotte Myrtle and Hocker to lead 4-1 after two innings of play.

McLeod allowed just one hit through the first three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. After surrendering three straight hits, an error by third baseman Haley Heincker loaded the bases with nobody out and Cowley clinging to a 4-2 lead.

Hargrove summoned to his bullpen and brought Spencer back in to pitch. The sophomore struck out the first two batters she faced and helped Cowley get out of the inning without any further damage.

Spencer would strike out four batters in two innings as she improved to 15-4 on the season. Spencer added a two-run double in the fourth inning and finished 2-for-3 at the plate.

Charlotte Myrtle walked leading off the bottom of the fifth and Bri Akers followed with a single. Two batters later, Poteat blasted the walk off home run.

Myrtle, who had just 28 plate appearances before Tuesday’s doubleheader, went 2-for-3 with a run batted in and three runs scored.

“Now that she has had a little bit of success I think we will see her average continue to climb,” Hargrove said.

Cowley will look to keep its winning streak going when they play a doubleheader at Fort Scott (3-13) Thursday at 2 p.m. With Girard being only about 30 minutes from Fort Scott, Cuthbertson, Poteat and McLeod will get an opportunity to play in front of friends and family.

“It will be neat for them to be going back close to home,” Hargrove said. “Fort Scott lost eight starters and their coach from last year so they are down a little. If we play well we should win.”