By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
The Southeast of Saline softball team faced a true road test on Friday night, traveling to Cowgirl country to take on a 4A foe in Abilene, and emerged victorious with their third doubleheader sweep of the season.
With wins of 3-2 and 9-4, the Lady Trojans remain perfect on the year at 6-0 while the Cowgirls fall to 2-4.
Game one of this doubleheader was a true pitcher's duel to the very end, as Lexi Jacobson and Hallie Johnson matched wits in the circle, each carrying a shutout into the fifth inning.
SES was finally able to get on the board scratching across two runs in the fifth, and adding an insurance run in the seventh, eeking out a 3-2 win with the Cowgirls tallying a run in both the sixth and seventh inning.
Once again it was the top of the Lady Trojan lineup that came through at the plate, with Lexi Jacobson, Maddie Harris and Brielle Ptacek driving in one run each to secure the win.
For Jacobson’s part in the circle the senior tossed seven complete innings and surrendered just two runs on five hits, striking out five and walking four.
Johnson finished her outing with an almost identical result, allowing three runs on five hits with five strikeouts and five walks.
Both offenses found their rhythm early in a higher-scoring game two with Abilene leading 3-2 after one, and the game tied 4-4 after 3.
In the fifth, SES would finally break the game open striking for four more runs, and putting the cherry on top in the seventh to take the win 9-4.
Of the 13 Southeast hits in this game, 12 would come from the top six spots in the Lady Trojan lineup, with Brielle Ptacek and her 3 RBI leading the charge.
In the circle Bryna Baird allowed just two earned runs in another complete game, striking out six and walking just three.
The Lady Trojans will return to Gypsum next Tuesday for a doubleheader with rival Sacred Heart while the Cowgirls do the same in Abilene against Marysville.