by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
Highlighted by a no-hitter by Bradi Basler, Kansas City Kansas Community College swept a softball doubleheader from Ellsworth Friday in Creston, Iowa.
Basler’s hitless performance came in a 5-0 nightcap win after the Blue Devils had breezed to a 14-1 win in a 5-inning opener. The sweep boosted the Blue Devils’ record to 10-2 heading into a home doubleheader Monday with North Dakota State College of Science starting at 1 p.m.
A sophomore from Lansing, Basler struck out a career high 11 and walked four while facing just 25 hitters.
“She threw well, one of the better games she’s pitched in her career here,” KCKCC coach Lana Ross said.
Freshman first baseman Hannah Maurer delivered the big blow in the 5-0 win, a bases-clearing double for a 3-0 lead in the third. Basler singled in KCKCC’s fourth run in the seventh and scored on Alexis Rymer’s triple. Basler also doubled and Savannah Maynard singled twice in the Blue Devils’ 9-hit attack.
Eight Blue Devils had two hits and seven drove in at least one run in an 18-hit assault in the 5-inning 14-1 opener. Freshman Breanna Droge got the pitching win, allowing three hits, striking out eight and walking five. The lone run came on a bases-loaded walk in the first but the Blue Devils went ahead with seven runs in the second.
Madison Pope and Rymer each drove in three runs, Rymer with a triple and single and Pope with a double and single. Maurer doubled twice, Maynard doubled and singled and Devin Purcell had two singles as each drove in a pair of runs while Jenna Daugherty, Alaina Howe and Basler each singled twice.
“Obviously we hit the ball well,” Ross said. “But I’d like to see our pitchers cut down on the walks.”