Lady Tiger softball team continues strong play in Branson

Winners of nine of its past 10 games, the Cowley College softball team went 3-1 at the Branson Grand Slam Classic on Friday and Saturday in Branson, Mo.

Cowley opened the Classic by splitting a pair of games on Friday, with the Lady Tigers losing to Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) 9-1 before defeating Missouri State University-West Plains 17-3.

In the loss to DMACC, Lady Tiger starting pitcher Mikah Vann allowed three home runs and nine runs in three innings. The Bears got a solid start on the mound from Jacki Baas (4-0), who allowed two hits and no earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Cowley found its offense in its second game, exploding for 14 hits and 17 runs in a five-inning run-rule win over MSU-West Plains. Sophomore Taverli Tennant went 3-for-4 with a home run and six runs batted in.

Sophomore Paige Scanlin also homered and drove in three in the win.

After the first game of the tourney, I really thought we played a lot stronger as a team," Cowley head coach Jenny Hoyt said. "We had a strong offense production against Missouri West Plains."

Ezra Arredondo (5-1) earned the win by tossing four scoreless innings before Madison Baker allowed three runs in the fifth.

Facing Parkland College on Saturday, Aubrey Williams (1-1) worked around seven walks to throw six scoreless innings, allowing only two hits. Vann pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save.

Tennant drove in two more in the win, while Raelynn Sandlin, Krisyana Pellet, and Arredondo added two hits apiece.

Vann (8-2) sparkled on the mound in the finale, allowing only one earned run while pitching a complete game.

Alissa Nuno had three of Cowley's 10 hits, and Bre Curry doubled, tripled, and drove in a pair of runs.

"Against Parkland and Rose State, we really played as a team, and the players executed their jobs," Hoyt said. "Raelynn Sandlin and Bre Curry both had a solid weekend offensively and helped get things going for the team.

Cowley improves its record to 15-5. The Lady Tigers will return home to face Barton (11-5) in a doubleheader on Tuesday at 2 p.m.

Score by inning:

Game one                R H E

Cowley    0 0 0 1 0 – 1 2 3

DMACC 5 0 2 2 x – 9 9 1

Game two                  R H E

MSU-WP 0 0 0 0 3 – 3 5 1

Cowley    2 5 9 1 x – 17 14 0

Game three                    R H E

Parkland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 3 1

Cowley    0 0 0 0 1 3 x – 4 9 0

Game four                    R H E

Rose St. 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 – 3 7 3

Cowley  0 0 1 4 0 0 2 – 7 10 2