by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
Stingy pitching by Nerida Elson and Breanna Droge led Kansas City Kansas Community College to a sweep of Southwestern Iowa Friday.
Piper’s Alexis Rymer hit a tie-breaking home run in the fifth inning to back Elson’s strong relief pitching in a 6-4 opening game win; Droge allowed just three hits in an 8-1 second game victory.
The win boosted KCKCC’s record to 6-2 heading into a doubleheader Saturday with Central Nebraska at 1 and 3 p.m.
A sophomore lefthander from Auckland, New Zealand, Elson came on in the fourth inning with the score deadlocked at 4-4. After giving up a hit and a walk, Elson retired the final 12 Spartans in order, three on strikeouts. Defensively, she was backed by a spectacular over the shoulder catch by Devin Purcell in centerfield and a backhand grab and throw by shortstop Savannah Maynard, both in the seventh inning. Bradi Basler pitched the first three innings, allowing four runs on three hits and four walks.
In addition to her tie-breaking 2-run home run, Rymer singled and doubled in a 3-RBI effort. Lindsey Gettle added two hits and an RBI.
Droge faced just 25 hitters in her 3-hitter in the 8-1 nightcap. She struck out eight, walked none and hit one. Her shutout was ruined by a fifth inning home run.
Freshman Hannah Maurer drove in four runs on a home run, double and singled and Maynard doubled twice and singled while driving in two runs. Madison Pope singled and doubled and Purcell singled twice and each drove in a run. KCKCC took a 1-0 lead in the first on singles by Purcell and Maurer and added three runs in the third. Maynard doubled in the first two runs and scored on Purcell’s single.
“Our pitches did a great job today and we played very well defensively,” KCKCC coach Lana Ross said. “We need to continue to get better and get tougher mentally but we played well today.”
