by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC sports information
Kansas City Kansas Community College pounded out 15 hits in each game but still had to go extra innings for a softball sweep of Marshalltown Saturday.
Bradi Basler pitched a two-hitter in a 10-1 win in the opener and then singled in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning of a 9-8 win of the second game. The sweep boosted the Blue Devils to 4-0 heading into a doubleheader with No. 9-ranked Kirkwood Sunday.
KCKCC had an 8-3 lead heading into the seventh inning of the nightcap only to have the Bobcats rap out five straight hits to pull into an 8-8 deadlock. Devin Purcell led off the bottom of the eighth with a double – her fourth hit of the game – took third on a ground ball and scored the winning run on Basler’s single up the middle.
The hit made a winner out of freshman Breanna Droge, who pitched the first 5.1 innings, allowing three runs, five hits, striking out five and walking none. Droge re-entered in the seventh after Sammi Reynolds was touched for five runs. In addition to Purcell’s four hits, Basler tripled and singled, Jenna Daugherty and Hannah Maurer doubled and singled and Alana Howe singled twice.
The Blue Devils led only 2-0 before scoring eight runs in the fourth inning of the 5-inning opener. Basler faced just 17 hitters in four innings on the mound, striking out two and walking four. Nerida Elson pitched the fifth, striking out two.
Lindsey Gettle and Alexis Rymer each had three hits in the opener with Gettle driving in three runs. Madison Pope, Savannah Maynard and Howe each had two hits and drove in runs.
“This probably sounds silly with all the hits we had but I’d like to see us get more aggressive at the plate,” KCKCC coach Lana Ross said. “I just didn’t think we were that aggressive. We let the second game get out of control. On the positive side, (centerfielder) Devin Purcell and (shortstop) Savannah Maynard played unbelievably well on defense; both had great defensive games.” The Blue Devils were errorless in both games.