Johnson County overpowers Cowley in a doubleheader in Ark City
The Cowley College pitching staff found outs hard to come by while facing No. 15-ranked Johnson County on Thursday at Ed Hargrove Field in Arkansas City, KS. The Lady Cavaliers run-ruled Cowley 14-0 in game one before winning game two 12-6.
Cowley falls to 15-19 overall and 3-3 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division, while Johnson County improves to 21-9 and 6-0 in the conference.
The Lady Tigers have allowed 52 runs in their past four games and are allowing an average of 9.2 runs per game in the team's 19 losses. Cowley is allowing less than three runs per game in its 15 victories.
On Thursday, Johnson County's Kyleigh Whitehurst nearly tossed a perfect game as she retired the first 12 batters before allowing her only baserunner when Cowley's Carsen Carpenter led off the bottom of the fifth with a single.
Cowley's Hannah Howard (5-4) lasted only two innings on the mound before being relieved by Lauren Howerton with Cowley trailing 7-0. Unfortunately, Howerton was unable to slow down the Cavalier lineup as Johnson County finished with 18 hits in the five-inning run-rule win.
Cowley started strong in game two, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first inning to lead 3-1. However, Johnson County responded with three runs in the third inning and one more in the fourth to chase Lady Tiger starting pitcher Dacey Morris from the game.
Morris (8-7) allowed three home runs and left with Cowley trailing 5-4.
Kylie Cartwright came on in relief of Morris and allowed three runs in the top of the fifth inning as Johnson County's lead grew to 8-4.
Cowley would get two of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth on a pair of sacrifice flies by Morris and Taylor Clay, as they pulled within 8-6. However, the Cavaliers got a three-run homer from Reagan Neitzel off Madison Baker and went on to the 12-6 win.
Cowley had 11 hits in the defeat and was led by Norah Macken and Kiki Warner, who each doubled twice. Sophomore shortstop Taverli Tennant went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs batted in and is now batting .408 with 36 RBI.
Cowley will have some time off before hosting Independence Community College (7-19) in a doubleheader on Thursday, April 9, at 1 p.m.
Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Johnson 2 5 1 5 1 – 14 18 0
Cowley 0 0 0 0 0 – 0 1 3
Game two R H E
Johnson 1 0 3 1 3 1 3 – 12 16 1
Cowley 3 0 0 1 2 0 0 – 6 11 1