Lady Tigers pick up a pair of run-rule wins over Pratt

The No. 19-ranked Cowley College softball team remains tough to beat at home as the Lady Tigers improved its home record to 13-1 with a pair of run-rule victories over Pratt Community College on Monday at the Ed Hargrove Softball Field. Cowley defeated Pratt 10-2 in game one before taking the nightcap by a score of 12-4.

Cowley improves its record to 23-10 on the season, while Pratt falls to 6-18.

In game one, Cowley led 1-0 before scoring a pair of runs in the third inning to increase its lead to 3-0. However, Pratt's Naveya Gardner hit a two-run homer off Cowley starting pitcher Mikah Vann in the top of the fifth inning to pull the Beavers within 3-2.

Cowley answered with three runs in the top of the sixth inning thanks to a two-run homer by Lyric Perry and an RBI single by Kanon Goji. The home run by Perry was her fifth of the season.

The Lady Tigers were not done there as Perry forced in a run with a bases-loaded walk, Andrea Kaffure followed with a two-run double, and Kaitlynn Anderson followed with a run-scoring single to complete the 10-2 run-rule victory.

Vann allowed only two runs in six innings to improve her record to 11-3 on the season. The right-hander struck out eight and walked two.

Harper Hancock and Goji had three hits as Cowley out-hit Pratt 15-6.

"I really thought the back side of our lineup really came in and competed well," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said. "We have needed some scoring production from them, and they had a total of nine runs scored in the doubleheader, so it was good to see they made an adjustment and executed when needed."

In game two, Cowley got a two-run bloop double from Paige Scanlin in a three-run first inning before Kaylee Smith hit a solo home run in the top of the second inning to pull Pratt within 3-1.

In the bottom of the second, Cowley got a run-scoring ground-rule double by Jamie Molina while scoring twice in the inning. Molina would finish 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs batted in.

"Jamie Molina continues to be a tough out for us in that four-hole and had a really good day," Hoyt said.

In the third inning, Pratt's Elysia Marquez and Jaxin Logue would hit back-to-back home runs to cut the Tigers' lead to 5-3. Two batters later, Smith hit her second home run of the game to chase Cowley starting pitcher Jaiden Swanson from the game.

Swanson lasted only 2 2/3 innings on the mound before being relieved by Alissa Nuno, with Cowley clinging to a 5-4 lead. Nuno (2-1) would toss 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief to stabilize the game for the Tigers.

Karleigh Bell hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run fourth inning and give Cowley a commanding 11-4 advantage. Bell drove in four, while Shayne Roberts scored three times.

Molina went on to hit a ground-rule double to score Roberts and end the game due to run rule.

Cowley will play a doubleheader at Coffeyville on Thursday at 1 p.m. The Red Ravens are 1-13 on the season with 13 losses in a row.

Score by inning:

Game one                 R H E

Pratt     0 0 0 0 2 0 – 2 6 1

Cowley 1 0 0 2 3 4 – 10 15 0

Game two              R H E

Pratt     0 1 3 0 0 – 4  7 0

Cowley 3 2 6 0 1 – 12 8 0