DODGE CITY, Kan. - A 10-2 five inning win by the Dodge City Community College softball team was spoiled by visiting Frank Phillips College in a 9-4 loss to split a home non-conference doubleheader at Legends Park in Dodge City on Monday, March 6th.
DC3 is now 12-6 overall while the Plainswomen improved to 2-23 overall.
Playing through extremely gusty weather, with wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour, the Conquistadors would open game one by scoring in every inning except the second. After putting up two runs in the first, Dodge City would add three in the third, one in the fourth, and end the game with one out in the bottom of the fifth after pushing across five runs. DC3's first five batters of the game would reach base to lead things off, with an
Adreanna Guerrero walk driving in the first run of the game.
Taylor Menard would bring home
Brittney Gonzalez on a fielder's choice to make the score 2-0, in what would be a sign of things to come. Starting pitcher
Kim Herron would shut down Frank Phillips offensively, not allowing a hit until the fifth inning which would allow for DC3 to break the game open. A Herron two-RBI single in the bottom of the third would push the Conquistador lead to 4-0 before
Brooklyn Botts would add an RBI single to put Dodge City on the fast track to shortened-game win. After allowing two runs on three hits in the top half of the fifth, DC3 would use their speed on the base paths to allow the first three batters of the inning to reach base before a Fox single would drive in Botts and
Morgan Ihle.
Baylee Rial would score on a final pitch to put the score at 9-2 before Gonzalez laid down a bunt single that brought in Fox to end the game.
Herron threw her eighth complete game of the year to improve to 7-2 overall while striking out seven and facing only five batters over the minimum. DC3 would not record an extra-base hit in the game, as Gonzalez would lead the offensive attack with a three-for-four game at the plate with two runs scored.
Makayla Tegtmeier would record two base hits while Fox, Menard, and Herron all drove in two runs.
The Conquistadors would play from behind for a majority of game two, trailing 2-1 after one inning of play before knotting things up heading to the top of the third. Frank Phillips added a single run in the top of the third to reclaim a 3-2 lead after three before breaking the game open with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. A two-run bottom of the sixth would be all that DC3 could muster to try and mount a comeback, finishing with just three hits in the game. Following a leadoff error, the Plainswomen would use a sacrifice bunt and RBI single to score the first run of the game before a single and stolen base would allow for a second RBI single to put the score at 2-0 early on. DC3 would respond with a single run without recording a hit in the bottom half of the first with a one-out walk issued followed by a throwing error on a stolen base allowing for Gonzalez to come around and score on a throw to first base following a dropped third strike. After Frank Phillips would go 1-2-3 in the top of the second, DC3 would utilize a leadoff double by Menard and sacrifice bunt by
Morgan Ihle to come around and tie the game. Three consecutive hits with a passed ball in-between allow for FPC to re-take the lead at 3-2 before shutting down Dodge City in the bottom of the third by retiring the Conquistadors in order. The Plainswomen would pad their lead with three runs on three hits and error in the fourth to take a 6-2 lead as DC3 would be once again be set down in order. Frank Phillips would tack on three insurance runs in the top of the fifth by once again taking advantage of a Dodge City error to go along with three hits. Things would remain the same until the bottom of the sixth when a
Dominique Humphrey single would allow Gonzalez to hit the first DC3 extra-base hit of the game with a double to the gap scoring Humphrey. After a groundout would move Gonzalez to third a fielding error by the Plainswomen second baseman would bring her home to give DC3 some momentum heading to the seventh. The momentum would be too little too late though, as the Conquistadors would go down in order to end the game.
Matti Tieben (0-1) took the loss, throwing just three innings and giving up three runs on six hits and striking out one. Gonzalez, Menard, and Humphrey would collect the three DC3 hits with Gonzalez scoring two of the four runs.
More non-conference action is in store for the Conquistadors on Tuesday, playing host to Hutchinson Community College at Legends Park in Dodge City for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
