Cowley softball team scores 36 runs in two-game sweep at Allen

Keeping pace with Johnson County for first place in the Division II side of the Jayhawk Conference standings, the Cowley College softball team improved to 10-0 in the conference with wins of 21-6 and 15-10 over Allen Community College Sunday in Iola, KS.

Cowley, winners of 11 games in a row, is now 26-12 overall. The Lady Tigers have outscored its opponents 124-46 during its current win streak.

After leading 20-0 and winning the opener 21-6, Cowley trailed 10-0 after one inning of play in the nightcap. However, Saige Smith, Cowley's game one starter, returned to the mound and stabilized things.

Cowley chipped away at its early deficit in game two by scoring five runs in the third, a run in the fourth, three more in the fifth, and took the lead by scoring five runs in the top of the sixth. Cowley would tack on an insurance run in the seventh.

Maci Cole homered for the fourth straight game and drove in four, while Kyla Bonnarens and Laramie Neff drove in three runs apiece. Cole now leads the team with 15 home runs, while Bonnarens has a team-high 21 doubles and 58 runs batted in.

"Laramie had a huge at bat to tie the second game and Maci stepped up and hit a three-run homer to put us ahead," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said.

The 21 runs scored in the opener was a season-high for the Lady Tigers. Emily Louderback hit three doubles and went 4-for-4 in game one as Cowley had 10 extra base hits in the five-inning run-rule win.

"Offensively, I felt like that was the strongest we looked hitting wise," Hoyt said. "We were coming up with strong hits with people in scoring position and put a lot of pressure on their pitching and defense the first three innings of the game."

Bonnarens, Cole, and Shayne Roberts each homered and drove in three runs apiece.

Saige Smith did not allow a run in her four innings pitched as she surrendered just two hits, while striking out six and walking none.

After game two starter Sydney Price got chased in a 10-run first inning, Smith came on in relief and went the final six innings. Smith struck out six to improve her record to 15-5 on the season.

Cowley will attempt to remain unbeaten in the conference when they host Independence Community College in a doubleheader Thursday at 2 p.m. The Lady Pirates are 15-13 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

Score by inning:

Game one                  R H E

Cowley 4 12 4 1 0 – 21 20 1

Allen    0 0 0 1 5 –     6 8 3

Game two                      R H E

Cowley 0 0 5 1 3 5 1 – 15 14 2

Allen  10 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 10 12 3