Apr 12, 2021

Fielding woes the undoing of Cloud County softball vs Neosho

Posted Apr 12, 2021 12:48 AM

CONCORDIA – Defensive struggles accounted for 13 errors as the Cloud County Community College softball team would drop a pair of home games by scores of 7-3 and 12-5 to Neosho County Community College at the CCCC Softball Field in Concordia on Sunday.

Following the defeats, Cloud County slips to 6-14 overall and 1-12 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference while the Panthers improved to 15-16 and 5-5 in the KJCCC.

Game one
Grabbing an early lead, the T-Birds would push across three runs in the bottom of the first as a leadoff triple from Kayla Lee and Shayna Fila walk would set up a double-steal from CCCC as both runners would advance a base and beat throws to put Cloud County up 1-0. Freshman catcher Taylor  Glause would then leave the ballpark with a two-run home run to right center field as the first three batters of the game for CCCC would reach base as part of a hot start from the T-Birds. Neosho would respond by working around a walk to with three strikeouts to end the inning as Cloud County would be forced to settle for the three runs.

A fielding error to lead off the top of the second inning along with a pair of wild pitches would allow NCCC to get a run back in the inning as CCCC would go down in order to send things to the third holding a 3-1 lead. Another error by Cloud County with one out in the third would be mixed in with three singles as Neosho would push across a pair of unearned runs to tie things up despite leaving a pair of runners on base. The T-Birds would have a chance to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the inning with a one-out and two-out single to put runners on the corners,  but the Panthers would return the favor as a strikeout would strand two runners for CCCC and keep things tied heading to the fourth.

Scoreless fourth and fifth innings would keep things at a 3-3 contest as neither team would be able to do much offensively in the middle innings. A one-out bunt single and throwing error would allow Neosho to put a go-ahead run on second in the top of the sixth as a second error in the inning would allow the run to score and give NCCC a 4-3 lead. Cloud County would appear to have something brewing in their half of the inning as Taylor Burks would hit a one-out single and be followed by an Emily Dunaway walk, but an unassisted inning-ending double play would allow the Panthers to escape the jam with the lead intact.

Three insurance runs by Neosho would all but put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh as the Panthers would lead things off with back-to-back solo home runs. An RBI single with two outs would bring home one final run for NCCC as Cloud County would get a one-out walk from Lee but be unable to keep the rally going as Neosho would manage to earn the come-from-behind victory.

Driving in two of CCCC's three runs would be Glause in a two-for-four effort at the plate with one of Cloud County's four extra-base hits. The Malcolm, Nebraska native would also throw out the only stolen base attempt of the game by Neosho to help the cause defensively as well.

Game two
Two hits and a walk would lead to a single run for Neosho to get things started in game two as the Panthers would take the early lead before stranding a pair of runners to end the inning. Cloud County would work a pair of walks in their half of the inning to put two runners on but an infield pop out would end the inning as NCCC would hold a 1-0 lead after an inning of action.

Things would stay a 1-0 Neosho lead until the bottom of the third as Cloud County would use a Lee leadoff single and stolen base to set things up for Glause who would hit an RBI standup double to tie things up at 1-1. The Panthers would manage to retire the next two batters in order to get out of the inning without any more damage as the pitcher's duel would continue into the fourth.

Taking their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth, Cloud County would get a Delaney Exon one-out triple down the right field line to put a runner in scoring position for Ella Caudill who would hit an RBI groundout to make it 2-1 T-Birds heading to the fifth. Things would begin to break open in the fifth as Neosho would use three singles, a wild pitch, and fielding error to knock CCCC starter Kyra Meyer from the game as the Panthers while scoring two runs to grab a 3-2 lead heading to the bottom half of the inning. Another leadoff hit for Lee would allow Glause to deliver once more with another RBI double as Cloud County would get back within a run before Rae Ann Hartwig would get in on the action with an RBI double of her own to tie things at 3-3. The T-Birds would be unable to do anything more in the inning, but give themselves a one-run lead heading to the sixth.

The Neosho offense would ultimately become the undoing of CCCC in the next inning as six of the first seven batters would safely reach base to push across five runs (all with one out) to go along with an error as NCCC would open the floodgates. Three more runs would eventually come around to score with two coming on a two-run home run as the final tally in the inning would be eight runs on eight hits and an error for the Panthers to go up 11-4 for their largest lead of the day.

Needing to try and start a comeback in the sixth instead of waiting until the seventh and final inning, Cloud County would put the first three batters of the inning on base with an Exon double, Caudill single, and Mackenzie Rowe walk to load the bases as Neosho would make a pitching change back to their starter after starting the inning with a reliever. A sacrifice fly from Lee would bring home Exon before a fielder's choice and groundout would end the inning in what looked to be a promising chance at getting back into the contest with momentum completely killed off by NCCC.

A fielding error and one-out double would allow the Panthers to get the run back in the top of the seventh to go back up by a seven-run margin as Cloud County would be down to their final three outs and go down in order with a groundout and two fly outs to end the game and allow Neosho to sweep the first of two doubleheaders this year between the two teams.

Lee would finish the game going two-for-two in the leadoff spot while also adding two stolen bases and an RBI as the Kearney, Nebraska native would score twice. Glause would have her second-straight two-for-four outing with a pair of RBI's while Hartwig and Caudill would account for the other two runs driven in.

What's next?
The T-Birds are back at home to close out back-to-back home doubleheaders with a 2 p.m. tilt against Cowley Community College on Thursday. Cowley swept a doubleheader from Cloud County back on March 21 as CCCC will look to earn their first win against the Tigers this season.  

--cloudtbirds.com--