Lady Tigers rally to earn split of home doubleheader

Hitting three home runs, the Cowley College softball team rallied from a pair of four-run deficits to earn a split of its home doubleheader against Northern Oklahoma College-Tonkawa Monday at Ed Hargrove Field. The Lady Tigers dropped game one by a score of 5-1 before winning the nightcap 10-7.

Game one was a pitchers dual as Lady Tiger sophomore Ashlynn Mercer and Lady Maverick sophomore Lynsey Ailey combined to strike out 21 batters and allow only three hits through the first five innings of play.

Ailey struck out six batters in a row and retired the first 10 batters she faced before Cierah Jones broke up the no-hitter with a one-out single in the top of the fourth inning. Two batters later, sophomore Kayla McClellan hit a run-scoring double to give Cowley a 1-0 lead.

However, the Mavericks would tie the game at 1-1 on a solo home run by Haiden Huster with one out in the top of the fifth inning. Huster had the only two hits for NOC in the first five innings of play.

The Mavericks would go in front in the top of the sixth inning as Jasmine Warriner was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on an error as Lady Tiger first baseman Mya Chapman could not handle the throw from catcher Aaliyah Ahmed on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Margaret Landes.

Cozee Clark followed with a run-scoring single and Meagan Bellar blew the game open by blasting a three-run homer to left field.

Ailey struck out 14 and walked only one in the two-hit complete game.

"We struggled offensively and allowed their pitcher to control us," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said.

Mercer took the loss in game one. The sophomore struck out a season-high 13 batters without a walk.

In game two, Cowley rallied from deficits of 4-0 and 7-3 to win 10-7. Ahmed's three-run homer in the bottom of the third inning pulled the Lady Tigers within 4-3. Trailing 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Ahmed's RBI single keyed the four-run inning. Freshman Sydney Price belted a two-run homer to tie the game at 7-7, and one inning later, sophomore third baseman Cierah Jones blasted a three-run homer to put Cowley in front 10-7.

Kennedy Toothman went the first four innings for Cowley and allowed six hits and five earned runs. She was relieved on the mound by Ashlynn Mercer (2-2), who despite allowing six hits in three innings, allowed only one run in relief.

"Being down two different times by four runs and coming back to win was huge for the team's confidence," Hoyt said.

Emma Enderud started on the mound for NOC and allowed six hits and four runs in 4 1/3 innings pitched. Molly Myers relieved Enderud and was tagged for six hits and six runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Jones and McClellan had three hits apiece for the Lady Tigers, while Ahmed drove in four runs.

"Huge offensive performance from them," Hoyt said. "We need to continue to get better every day."

Cowley will return to action Thursday when they play a doubleheader at the Bethany College JV beginning at 2 p.m. in Lindsborg, KS.

"We need to put the pressure on them early and stay focused throughout the doubleheader," Hoyt said. "I would like our pitchers to dominate the hitters more and offensively we need to make quicker adjustments during the game." 

Score by inning:         

Game one                  R H E

NOC   0 0 0 0 1 4 0 – 5 5 0

Cowley 0 0 0 1 0 0 x – 1 2 1

Game two                    R H E

NOC    2 2 0 1 2 0 0 – 7 12 0

Cowley 0 0 3 0 4 3 x – 10 12 1