T-Bird softball scores extra-innings win to split with NW Kansas Tech

GOODLAND - Extra-innings would once again prove not to be an issue for the Cloud County Community College softball team as the T-Birds would pick up a 9-6, 10-inning win in game one against Northwest Kansas Technical College before falling by a score of 10-7 in game two to split a non-conference road doubleheader at the Northwest Tech Softball Complex in Goodland on Monday.

The doubleheader split gives Cloud County the season series over the Mavericks by winning three out of four games to improve to 13-16 overall. NWKT is now 3-23 overall on the year after managing to take the final game of the scheduled four-game series this year to avoid being swept by CCCC.

GAME ONE
Two errors by Northwest Tech would be to the benefit of Cloud County in the top of the first as three hits in the first four at-bats of the contest would bring home two runs and put another runner in scoring position to set up another run coming home on the second error of the game by the Mavericks to allow CCCC to jump out to a 3-0 lead after half an inning of play. An error by the T-Birds would help NWKT get one run back in the bottom of the first before seeing Northwest Tech manage to take advantage of a second Cloud County error in the bottom of the second to get back within one at 3-2.

Neither team would be able to produce any offense in the third or fourth innings, sending things to the top of the fifth where CCCC would find a way to produce more offense with a hit batter and two stolen bases from freshman McKenna Mayhew to set up a Taylor Dekok sacrifice fly. Rae Ann Hartwig would then draw a two-out walk and steal second to get into scoring position for Zoie Kincade to hit an RBI single that would be followed by a Grace Utz single and walks from both Mia Kelly and Ryleigh Jones to bring home one final run to push the lead out to 6-2.

Northwest Tech would respond in the bottom of the sixth by putting together a three-hit inning that would be combined with a stolen base and two errors that allow for four runs (three unearned) come across to tie the game at 6-6. CCCC would have an opportunity to try and re-take the lead in the top of the seventh following a two-out single from Kelly that would be followed by a stolen base and wild pitch, but a groundout would strand the go-ahead run 60 feet away from home to keep things tied at 6-6.

Striking out the side, Dekok would send things into extra-innings for Cloud County following a scoreless bottom of the seventh as the international tiebreaker rule would be put into effect starting in the top of the eighth. Both teams would strand a pair of runners in the eighth inning before seeing the T-Birds leave the bases loaded in the top of the ninth as two walks would be combined with a flyout and two strikeouts. Northwest Tech would not have a big threat in the bottom of the ninth, sending things to the top of the 10th where CCCC would finally manage to break through with an RBI single from Mayhew to take the lead at 7-6 before adding a walk, double-steal, and wild pitch to add an insurance run. One more run would come across in the inning for Cloud County as a Dekok RBI single would make things 9-6 in favor of CCCC which is where things would be at heading into the bottom of the 10th.

In the final opportunity for the Mavericks, NWKT would see a strikeout and walk put two runners on with one out before a sacrifice bunt would move both runners into scoring position. The T-Birds would need just one more pitch following the bunt as a grounder right back to Dekok in the pitching circle would lead to a 1-3 putout that would end the game and allow Cloud County to pick up a road win in game one.

Three different players (Exon, Jones, and Dekok) would record multiple hits in the game for Cloud County, with Exon going three-for-five with two runs scored and an RBI. The lone extra-base hit of the game for CCCC would come from Mayhew who would also add four stolen bases as the T-Birds would steal 12 bases in the contest. Dekok would throw a complete game by throwing all 10 innings and allowing just one earned run (six total) on nine hits to go along with nine strikeouts on 152 total pitches.

GAME TWO
An early deficit would prove to be too much for the T-Birds to overcome in the back end of the twin bill as a scoreless top of the first would make way for the Mavericks to send 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first and score seven runs on six hits and one CCCC error. The seven-run deficit for Cloud County would be cut into in the top of the second with an Alexis Billings two-RBI double before a Dekok RBI groundout in the top of the third would bring home another run and start a three-run inning that would get CCCC back within two at 7-5.

No change in the score would be seen again until the bottom of the fifth as Northwest Tech would once again find a way to take advantage of T-Bird mistakes with two errors helping to offset just one hit in the inning as the Mavericks would score three runs to double up CCCC at 10-5. The top of the sixth would see Cloud County turn a leadoff walk from Rae Ann Hartwig turn into a run after a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt by Billings would bring home what would become the lone run of the inning for the T-Birds.

Cloud County would keep Northwest Tech from adding to their lead in the bottom of the sixth before putting together a late rally in the top of the seventh as two walks and a base-hit single would load the bases and bring the game-tying run to the plate with no outs. After a popup would allow NWKT to get the first out of the inning, CCCC would see a fielder's choice and walk put a second out on the board and a run to get back within three. The game would end just four pitches later however as a strikeout with the bases loaded would end the game and allow the Mavericks to hang on for the victory.

Seven stranded runners would loom large for Cloud County in the contest as the T-Birds would be unable to take full advantage of seven walks and seven hits. No player for CCCC would record more than one hit in the contest as only two hits would go for extra bases despite the T-Birds once again remaining aggressive on the base paths with five more stolen bases.

What's next?
Cloud County is scheduled to return home to the CCCC Softball Field to play host to Coffeyville Community College in a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday. The Red Ravens are 3-18 overall and 2-10 in the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference after splitting a home doubleheader on Sunday afternoon against Hesston as Coffeyville has split each of their last three doubleheaders after starting the year 0-16. The games between Coffeyville and Cloud County are scheduled to the be first of four contests between teams with the T-Birds and Red Ravens also scheduled to square off on May 5 in Coffeyville.