Cloud County Athletics
CONCORDIA - A strong offensive start would lead the Cloud County Community College softball team to a 6-5 win at home over visiting Hesston College before seeing a late rally come up short in game two as part of a 10-8 loss to split a doubleheader at the CCCC Softball Field in Concordia on Saturday.
Snapping a four-game losing skid in game one, CCCC is now 16-21 overall and 5-15 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference while the Larks move to 16-18 overall and 9-7 in the KJCCC.
GAME ONE
Fielding woes in the top of the first would cause the T-Birds to fall into an early 2-0 hole as Hesston would take advantage of an error to go along with two hits and a walk to plate two runs while stranding a pair of runners after seeing the inning end on a groundout back to the pitcher. Going down in order in the bottom of the first, CCCC would manage to work around a two-out double and hit batter for the Larks to end the top of the second with a strikeout that would keep the deficit at two heading into the bottom of the second.
Free bases for each of the first three batters in the bottom of the second would be to the benefit of Cloud County as two walks and a hit batter would load the bases for Zoie Kincade to hit an RBI single to left field with a potential game-tying run getting cut down at the plate. Rae Ann Hartwig would manage to hit a second-straight RBI single for the T-Birds to tie things up at 2-2 before stealing second to put runners at second and third with just one out. Following a groundout, Cloud county would have the top of the order due up with freshman Ryleigh Jones making the most of the situation by hitting a no-doubt three-run home run to center field to break a 2-2 tie and give CCCC their first lead of the game.
Pushing across another run thanks in part to a leadoff walk for Taylor Dekok in the bottom of the third, the T-Birds would see four of their five base runners in the inning reach by walk as HC would be forced to make a pitching change that would wind up forcing CCCC into leaving the bases loaded to end the inning. Neither team would be able to add to their scoring totals in either the fourth or the fifth innings, keeping things at a 6-2 contest heading into the top of the sixth where Hesston would turn a leadoff walk into a run on a one-out sacrifice fly.
A prime opportunity to add some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth would wind up going to waste by CCCC as a Shayna Fila one-out single and Delaney Exon double would wind up stranded with a strikeout and fly out ending the inning with the T-Birds trying to protect a three-run lead in the top of the seventh. After seeing a leadoff single and error put two runners on base, CCCC would make a pitching chance of their own to bring in Dekok who would walk a batter and allow a two-RBI single to make it a one-run contest. With things suddenly on the verge of becoming tied, Dekok would work a fly out and strikeout to put two outs on the board before ending the game with a second-straight strikeout to strand the game-tying run at second.
Free base runners would prove to be the biggest part of the Cloud County offense in the contest as eight walks and a hit batter would supplement five base hits with only two of the five hits going for extra bases. No T-Bird would record more than one hit in the contest, with Jones driving in three runs while Kincade, Hartwig and Ella Caudill all drove in one RBI each.
A six-inning outing would allow starting pitcher Kyra Meyer to pick up her sixth win of the year after allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts before seeing Dekok earn CCCC's first save of the year with a one-inning outing that featured two strikeouts.
GAME TWO
Facing another early deficit before reclaiming the lead with a big inning similar to game one, Cloud County would have more defensive struggles lead to three unearned runs in the top of the second for Hesston to trail the Larks 3-0 after two innings of play. With the deficit still at three heading into the bottom of the third, CCCC would send 10 batters to the plate in the inning with five-straight two-out base hits providing the bulk of the offense in the inning that featured seven hits, an error, and five stolen bases to give Cloud County a 6-3 lead.
Using a leadoff double to pick up one run back in the top of the fourth, Hesston would reclaim the lead in the top of the fifth as a leadoff single, fielder's choice, and single to right field would set up a go-ahead three-run home run from designated player Teri Stanton. Suddenly facing a deficit again, Cloud County would attempt to turn to small ball after a leadoff single to try and push across the game-tying run before seeing a failed sacrifice bunt attempt and unassisted groundout end the inning with two runners left on base.
Hesston would put up another crooked number in the top of the sixth by turning three hits and a walk into three runs as the one-run deficit would turn into a game-high four heading into the bottom of the sixth. Needing to try and push across some runs to get back into the game, Cloud County would get a McKenna Mayhew infield single and advancement on a wild pitch to put a runner in scoring position before two strikeouts would end the inning and potential threat offensively for CCCC.
Keeping the Larks off the board in the top of the seventh, the T-Birds would have one last opportunity to try and tie the score as a leadoff double for Kelsey Bohnsack would be followed by a popup and infield pinch-hit single from Mia Kelly to put two runners on with one out. A stolen base attempt from Kelly managed to lead to the second out of the inning as well as a run as CCCC would be down to their last out with no one on base. A two-out double and stolen base from Jones would be followed by a Shayna Fila RBI single to bring home Jones and pull Cloud County within two with Exon due up. After the Lincoln, Nebraska native would draw a walk to put the game-tying run on base, Cloud County would see the potential rally come up short as a strikeout looking would end the game and allow HC to hang on for a two-run win.
A combined 28 hits in the contest would see CCCC outhit Hesston 16-12 as the two teams would also have a total of seven walks and 17 runners left on base tell the story of the game. 11 of the 17 base runners stranded would be by Cloud County as nine strikeouts would also loom large with the punchouts coming in key moments of the game. Jones would have another strong game at the plate by going two-for-three with two runs scored and an RBI to go along with two of CCCC's four walks while Bohnsack would collect three hits in four at-bats and drive in two runs of her own.
After picking up the first save by any Cloud County pitcher in game one, Dekok would take the defeat in game two as 10 runs (seven earned) would come on 12 hits and three walks.
What's next?
CCCC will open a four-game road trip on Monday with a 5 p.m. doubleheader at the Bethel College JV team. The road trip will then conclude on Thursday afternoon as the T-Birds return to conference action with a trip to Kansas City Kansas Community College for a 1 p.m. doubleheader with the Blue Devils.