Cloud County Athletics
KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Pulling a near-upset before falling 3-2 in game one, the Cloud County Community College softball team would be unable to overcome an eight-run first inning for host and 16th-ranked Kansas City Kansas Community College to drop both ends of a road doubleheader at the KCKCC Softball Field in Kansas City, Kan., on Thursday.
Road woes for the T-Birds continue as CCCC is now 16-24 overall and 5-17 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference while the Blue Devils improved to 33-9 overall and 14-6 in Division "A" of the DII portion of the KJCCC to stay in contention for a division title.
GAME ONE
Pitching and defense would be the story throughout much of game one as Cloud County would manage to record two of the only three hits that would be recorded through four innings of play with the first four frames featuring just one run scored. The one run would be scored by the Blue Devils in the bottom of the fourth as a leadoff walk followed by a groundout and a stolen base would put a runner on third for KCKCC. After a walk and stolen base would put two runners in scoring position, a sacrifice fly would break what was a scoreless tie to give Kansas City Kansas their first lead of the game heading to the top of the fifth.
After trailing for the first time on the day, CCCC would make the most of a Zoie Kincade walk after falling behind 0-2 in the count to battle back and earn a free pass before seeing Ella Caudill draw a catcher's interference on a 1-1 count. A bunt single from Mia Kelly would load the bases for the T-Birds as Cloud County would see an infield popup and fielder's choice n to end the threat without any runs coming across. Ensuring that CCCC would not come away empty-handed, a Delaney Exon two-RBI single would bring home a pair of unearned runs for the T-Birds as Cloud County would manage to grab a 2-1 lead. McKenna Mayhew would follow with a seven-pitch walk as CCCC would threaten to continue the rally before a strikeout would end the inning with the bases loaded.
A one-out walk and two-out single from KCKCC would see the Blue Devils threaten to tie the game up at 2-2, but a fielder's choice to Caudill at shortstop would end the inning after applying a tag on the lead runner. With an opportunity to push across an insurance run in the top of the seventh, CCCC would be unable to do anything with a two-out single from Mayhew as Kansas City Kansas would keep things at a one-run deficit heading into the bottom of the seventh.
Trying to protect their lead to pull an upset against a nationally ranked team, Cloud County would once again see a free pass prove to be costly as a leadoff walk and bunt single that would be followed by a throwing error allow runners to move to second and third with no outs. A game-ending base-hit single into center field would on a 3-2 pitch in the next at-bat would send the T-Birds into heartbreak as the Blue Devils would manage to escape with a one-run home victory.
Cloud County would out-hit Kansas City Kansas by a 6-3 margin in the game as the two teams would combine to strand 17 runners (nine by CCCC). All nine hits in the contest would be singles as no extra-base hit would be recorded with eight walks proving to be the biggest issue of the day for the T-Birds.
GAME TWO
After such a strong outing defensively in game one, game two would not get off to a strong start for Cloud County as a two-out double from Ryleigh Jones would be stranded in the top of the first before seeing the first four batters of the game for KCKCC reach base to bring home three runs and put a runner on first with no outs. After a double-play would clear the bases and give the T-Birds hope in escaping without any further damage, a walk followed by five straight base hits would see the Blue Devils add another five runs in the inning to put up eight total runs and go up 8-0 after an inning of play.
Stranding two runners in the top of the second, CCCC would see the eight-run deficit hold until the top of the third when a one-out single from Shayna Fila would be followed by a single from Jones and a wild pitch to put both runners in scoring position. A strikeout would put a second out on the board as Cloud County again would be in danger of stranding runners, but a Mayhew two-RBI single would cut into the deficit before a Rae Ann Hartwig infield single allowed Mayhew to score from second after taking an extra base on the throw home in the previous at-bat.
Back within five at 8-3, the T-Birds would see a leadoff double and wild pitch turn into a run for KCKCC with a two-out RBI triple that would see the inning end when the Blue Devils would attempt to turn the three-bag base hit into an inside the park home run. Not much would be doing for CCCC in the top of the fourth as a stranded runner in the inning would allow the Blue Devils to get back up to the plate and push across another two runs on three hits to make things an eight-run deficit to put the T-Birds in a must-score position to extend the game in the top of the fifth.
Back-to-back singles from Jones and Delaney Exon to lead off the inning would put two runners on for Mayhew who would hit a groundout that moved both runners another 60 feet as Hartwig would drive a 1-1 pitch into center field for an RBI single to push across a run for the T-Birds. Cloud County would then see Grace Utz fall behind in the count 0-2 before both teams would be required to clear the field with lightning detected in the area as both teams would be forced to endure a one-hour, two-minute weather delay. Following the delay, CCCC would get an RBI single from Utz after fouling off the first two pitches she saw out of the delay to score a second run in the inning. Kincade would follow by drawing a walk to load the bases for Cloud County as the potential for a big inning would look promising until a strikeout and chopper back to the pitcher would end the inning two batters later.
With things in the bottom of the fifth, Kansas City Kansas would see their leadoff batter fly out to right field before taking advantage of a throwing error on Cloud County to put a base runner on that would be followed by a single down the left-field line just inside the third-base bag to put the game-ending run on base. The T-Birds would wind up walking the next batter in Bradi Basler to load the bases with one out to set up a force out at any base but see a game-ending two-RBI single get hit on an 0-1 pitch to have the game end in the bottom of the fifth.
Cloud County's five runs would come on 11 hits as eight stranded base runners would loom large for the T-Birds to go along with just one hit going for extra bases. Both Jones and Hartwig would finish the game with perfect three-for-three performances at the plate with Hartwig driving in two of CCCC's five RBIs.
What's next?
Forecasted rain in the north-central Kansas area has forced the previously scheduled Saturday home doubleheader for Cloud County with Fort Scott Community College back a day as the doubleheader will now be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The doubleheader will also serve as sophomore day for the T-Birds, with six players (Shayna Fila, Kyra Meyer, Rae Ann Hartwig, Delaney Exon, Ella Caudill, and Kelsey Bohnsack) being recognized between games.