Smith strikes out 20 to help Lady Tigers’ sweep Hesston

Cowley College freshman Saige Smith struck out 20 batters over nine innings as she helped the Cowley College softball team win a pair of one-run games at Hesston College on Saturday. Smith allowed only three hits and two runs while striking out 16 and walking three in Cowley's 3-2 win of game one and then struck out four more while pitching the final two innings of relief in the Lady Tigers' 8-7 win of game two.

Hesston's Emma Killingsworth took the loss after allowing eight hits and three runs in six innings pitched in the opener.

Smith (10-5) and Ellie Kuntz (3-3) helped make up for game two starter Sydney Price retiring just one of the five batters she faced. Kuntz stabilized the game by allowing just three earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of relief before Smith slammed the door shut on another one-run win.

Maci Cole had two of Cowley's nine hits in the opener and went 3-for-5 with a double and two runs batted in during the nightcap. Kyla Bonnarens hit her eighth home run of the season, and Emily Louderback added three hits and a pair of runs batted in as Cowley rallied from deficits of 3-0 and 6-3.

Cowley, winners of 15 of its past 16 games, is now 19-12 overall and in first place in the Jayhawk Conference Division II with a record of 4-0. Hesston (6-13) falls to 0-4 in conference play.

The Lady Tigers will host Highland (16-9) in a doubleheader Thursday beginning at 1 p.m.

Score by inning:

Game one                    R H E

Cowley  0 2 0 0 0 1 0 – 3 9 1

Hesston 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 – 2 3 0

Game two                     R H E

Cowley  0 1 2 2 3 0 0 – 8 10 1

Hesston 3 0 3 1 0 0 0 – 7 10 4