by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC
Kansas City Kansas Community College celebrated its newly earned 19th ranking in the NJCAA Division II softball poll with a sweep of North Dakota State College of Science Monday.
Breanna Droge scattered four hits in an 11-4 opening win; Bradi Basler gave up just a pair of hits in a 9-0 5-inning nightcap.
The wins extended the Blue Devils’ winning streak to eight in a row (12-2 overall) heading into their Jayhawk Conference opener at Labette Saturday before returning home to play host to Morningside junior varsity Sunday at 1 and 3 p.m.
“Both our pitchers pitched great,” said KCKCC coach Lana Ross, who was particularly pleased by the control of the two starters – just one walk allowed in the two contests. “North Dakota took some good swings so give credit to tour pitchers.”
Droge (6-1) struck out seven and walked one and no earned runs in six innings before Nerida Elson finished up with a scoreless seventh. Basler (4-1) struck out eight and walked none in her two-hitter.
“I really liked the way we bounced back after four errors in the first game,” Ross said.
Devin Purcell, the Blue Devils’ leading hitter at .574, singled, doubled and belted a 2-run home run and Leah Seichepine tripled in a pair of runs in the 11-4 opening game win. Basler also had three hits and Madison Pope drove in two runs with a single and double.
Alexis Rymer got the Blue Devils in front 3-0 with a 3-run homer run in the first inning of the 9-0 second game. It was the fourth homer of the season for Rymer, who drove in a total of five runs. Basler helped her own cause with a double and triple; Alexandra Schafer and Purcell each singled twice and drove in runs.