OTTAWA, Kan. – The (23) Ottawa University softball team took two from (RV) Friends University on Tuesday afternoon to open KCAC play at Alumni Park. OU won game one, 7-1, and then rallied to take game two, 8-6.
Game One
Friends struck first, taking a 1-0 lead over the Braves in the top of the second inning. Ottawa took the lead with seven runs in the bottom of the third inning.
Macy Roever hit an infield single and then stole second.
Addison Spencer doubled, scoring Roever and the game was tied, 1-1. Back-to-back walks by
Katie Enneking and
Kara Hafenstine loaded the bases for the Braves.
Reagan Hammons singled to left, scoring Spencer and Enneking, giving OU a 3-1 lead. Ottawa loaded the bases once more with an infield single by
Cierra Faubion.
Megan Kennedy's single to center scored both Hafenstine and Hammons to give OU a 5-1 lead. Roever, batting for the second time in the inning, singled to right. Her hit scored Faubion and Kennedy, giving the Braves a 7-1 lead.
The Falcons had three reach base in their final four at bats and the Braves took the 7-1 victory.
Inside the Box Score
Game Two
Friends scored five runs in the top of the first. Ottawa cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the second.
Nayely Delgado walked and advanced to second on a ground out by
Morgan Bradford.
Rachel Pederson singled to right center, scoring Delgado and OU was down 5-1.
The Falcons scored another run in the top of the third, taking a 6-1 lead over the Braves. After a scoreless fourth inning, Ottawa tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Back-to-back errors by the Falcon third baseman gave OU runners on first and second. The Braves loaded the bases with a walk by
Katie Enneking. A wild pitch scored Pederson and OU was down 6-2.
Kara Hafenstine's single to left scored
Macy Roever, putting Ottawa with in 6-3.
Reagan Hammons' sacrifice fly to left scored Enneking and the Braves trailed 6-4. A double by Delgado scored Hafenstine and the Braves were down 6-5. Ottawa tied the game on Bradford's single to right. Her hit scored Delgado and the game was tied, 6-6.
Friends had the bases loaded in the top of the sixth and two outs.
Loralei Gilbert entered the game in relief for
Madison Carney. Gilbert got the batter to pop out to Kennedy at short stop and the game was still tied 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth.
Pederson led off the Braves with a single to left in the bottom of the sixth. Roever walked and OU had runners on first and second.
Addison Spencer put down a sacrifice bunt, moving Pederson to third and Roever to second.
Katie Enneking hit an infield single, scoring Pederson and Ottawa led 7-6. Hafenstine bunted, scoring Roever and OU took an 8-6 lead.
It was three up and three down in the top of the seventh for the Falcons and OU took the 8-6 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Kara Hafenstine went 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in two and scoring one run.
- Rachel Pederson had two hits in three at bats. She drove in a run and scored twice.
- Loralei Gilbert pitched 1.1 innings in the victory, not allowing a hit.
Who is Next
Ottawa (18-8, 2-0) returns to the diamond on Saturday, March 16 against McPherson College at Alumni Park. Game one of the double header is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
