Vann strikes out 16, softball improves to 11-1 in the conference

Led by sophomore Mikah Vann, finishing one strikeout off the school record, the Cowley College softball team swept a doubleheader against Highland by scores of 2-1 and 9-1 on Saturday in Arkansas City.

Cowley, winners of six games in a row, remains only one-half game behind conference-leading Neosho County (11-0). The Lady Tigers are now 29-11 overall and 11-1 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division.

Highland falls to 14-15 overall and 6-4 in the conference.

In Saturday's opener, Vann allowed only a fifth-inning solo home run to Highland's Alaryce Millard in the 2-1 victory. Vann (16-4) struck out 16 and walked one. The 16 strikeouts were one off the school record of 17 set by Lindsey Davis and Candice Wilburn.

"Mikah had a sharp outing for us in game one," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said. "Offensively, we couldn't get much going and struggled to string any hits together, but Mikah's performance helped secure the win."

Krisyana Pellet doubled home Taverli Tennant with the game's first run in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Millard homered off Vann with one out in the fifth inning to tie the game at 1-1.

Cowley's Alissa Nuno would help Cowley go back in front in the fifth inning as she singled and came around to score on an error by Highland.

After issuing her lone walk of the game with two outs in the seventh inning, Vann came back to get Millard to pop out to end the game.

In between games, Cowley honored the team's sophomores, who have been a part of 70 wins over the past two seasons. Sophomores are Jamie Molina, Krisyana Pellet, Alissa Nuno, Paige Scanlin, Kanon Goji, Raelynn Sandlin, Ezra Arredondo, Aubrey Williams, and Vann.

"It was amazing to see how many families traveled in and were there to support the sophomores and the team," Hoyt said. "They are a special group and very good humans so it makes coaching them fun."

Cowley had an easier time in game two as they needed only five innings to run-rule the Scotties 9-1.

Sophomore Paige Scanlin got the scoring started by blasting a solo home run to center field off Millard in the bottom of the first inning. Tavelri Tennant followed with a ground-rule double and scored on a ground out by Jamie Molina.

After just missing a home run her first time up, Tennant delivered a towering shot to increase Cowley's lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning. The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to run-rule the Scotties.

Sandlin went 3-for-3 to pace Cowley's 12-hit attack. The homer for Tennant was her 11^th of the season, while Scanlin's homer was her eighth.

"I felt we had better at-bats and got things going more throughout our lineup in game two," Hoyt said.

Arredondo (11-3) allowed one unearned run in five innings pitched as the right-hander allowed only three hits.

Cowley will play a doubleheader at Hesston College on Friday at 2 p.m. The Larks are 2-19 overall and 0-10 in the conference.

Game one                       R H E

Highland 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 – 1 1 0

Cowley    0 0 0 1 1 0 x – 2 5 0

Game two                 R H E

Highland 0 0 0 0 1 – 1 3 1

Cowley    2 0 1 3 3 – 9 12 1