Pellet drives in eight runs in Lady Tigers’ doubleheader sweep of Pratt

Sophomore transfer Krisyana Pellet homered twice and drove in eight runs to help the Cowley College softball team sweep a doubleheader from visiting Pratt Community College by scores of 10-4 and 14-4 on Monday at the Ed Hargrove Field in Arkansas City, KS.

After dropping its first two games of the season, Cowley has won eight of its past 10 to improve its record to 8-4. Pratt falls to 1-6.

"It was good to see the players respond and compete a little harder after our loss at Dodge on Sunday," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said.

In game one, Pratt struck for four runs off Lady Tiger starting pitcher Alissa Nuno in the top of the first inning. Cowley would get two of the runs back in the bottom of the second inning and Nuno went on to pitch three innings and left with Cowley trailing 4-2.

However, a three-run homer by Pellet gave Cowley a 5-4 lead and chased Pratt starting pitcher Jasmine Reyes from the game with one out in the bottom of the third inning.

Karis Stewart came in to pitch and immediately surrendered a solo home run to Jamie Molina as Cowley hit back-to-back home runs. The Tigers would score five runs in the inning to lead 7-4.

Taverli Tennant added an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning. Two batters later, Pellet added her second home run of the game, a two-run shot that increased Cowley's lead to 10-4.

Sophomore Mikah Vann, who came on in relief of Nuno, tossed four scoreless innings to go along with eight strikeouts and no walks. Vann (5-1) struck out two in a 1-2-3 seventh inning to finish off the win of game one.

"Mikah entered in relief and controlled their hitters," Hoyt said.

Pellet finished 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, and five runs batted in. Cowley out-hit Pratt 11-6 and got multi-hit performances from Tennant and sophomore Paige Scanlin.

Cowley again trailed early in game two as Pratt scored two first-inning runs off Lady Tiger starting pitcher Madison Baker. However, Cowley scored a run in the bottom of the first and then erupted for six runs in the third inning and seven more in the fourth as they run-ruled Pratt 14-4.

"I thought as a team we really hit better together," Hoyt said.

Scanlin had another big game in the nightcap as her two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning gave Cowley a lead they would not relinquish. Scanlin was just a single shy of hitting for the cycle as she finished 3-for-3 with a home run, triple, and a double, to go along with four runs batted in.

Pellet just missed a third home run on the day as she doubled home a pair of runs in the seven-run third inning. Pellet drove in three in the victory. Tennant also continued to swing a hot bat, going 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.

"Yaya (Krisyana) and Paige really stepped up offensively for the team and provided a spark to the lineup," Hoyt said. "And, Taverli has really stepped up and played a great defensive role at short stop for us and remains to be a tough out in our lineup."

Baker (1-0) earned the win as she allowed four hits and three runs in three innings pitched. The freshman struck out three and walked none. Aubrey Williams finished off the victory by allowing one run in two innings of relief.

Cowley will remain home to play a doubleheader against Haskell University (0-2) on Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Score by inning:

Game one                    R H E

Pratt     4 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 4 6 1

Cowley 0 2 5 3 0 0 x – 10 11 0

Game two               R H E

Pratt     2 0 1 1 0 – 4 4 1

Cowley 1 6 7 0 x – 14 15 0