Lady Beaver softball splits season opener at Goodland
Goodland, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–With five newcomers to the team, and limited outdoor practices, third year coach Erin Myers was wondering how her team would come out on Monday in a rescheduled doubleheader with the Goodland Cowgirls. Originally scheduled to be in Scott City, the Lady Beavers didn’t let that phase them, and salvaged a split with the Cowgirls, winning the first game 5-3, and dropping the finale on a walk-off 9-8.
Scott City 5, Goodland 3, Game 1
It took only three pitches for Scott City to strike first in 2017. On a one-one count, Krystal Appel led the game off with a solo shot over the center field fence, taking advantage of the strong wind to give the Lady Beavers an early 1-0 lead. Scott City would add to their lead with a Nancy Wiebe RBI single scoring Macie Price. Goodland would pull to within 2-1 int he bottom of the second on a Kayleigh McCombs RBI groundout. It would be 3-1 Lady Beavers after the top of the third, and the Cowgirls would tie the game at three in the bottom of the third with a two-run single by Kelsey White. Scott City would score the next two runs over the next two innings, as Aspyn Nix drove in Kaitlyn Roberts in the fourth inning and Price scored on an RBI single by Roberts in the fifth inning. Roberts would be dominant over the final four innings, not allowing a hit and retired 12 of the final 14 batters to pick up the win. She allowed three runs, two earned with four strikeouts in a complete game win. Appel and Wiebe had two hits for Scott City and each drove in a run. Goodland only had three hits in the game, all coming in the first three innings. The Cowgirls had four errors. Kaitlyn Daise took the loss, going all seven innings, striking out seven batters, and giving up five runs.
Goodland 9, Scott City 8, Game 2
There was plenty of excitement in the second inning, especially in the first half of the game. Just like the first game, Scott City scored two runs in the top of the frame. The difference would be that Goodland scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Following a tied game at three after one and a half innings, the Cowgirls responded with four runs in the second, and added another run in the third to take an 8-4 lead. However, the Lady Beavers would come back, scoring four runs to tie the game after three and a half innings at eight each. The score would remain tied at 8 until the bottom of the seventh. Goodland would load the bases with no outs. They would strike out for the first out, but the runners advances on the bases anyway, and the winning run would not be tagged out, ensuring the Cowgirls their first win of the year. Bailey Latta received a no-decision, going two innings, allowing seven runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Kaitlyn Roberts allowed two runs in relief in 4 1/3 innings, and took the loss. Macie Price had three hits, with an RBI and a run scored. Roberts had two hits and an RBI and a run scored for the Lady Beavers. Goodland started with Brooke Drennan in the circle for the first four innings, as she allowed eight runs on seven hits. Kaitlyn Daise picked up the win in relief, allowing one hit over the final three innings. Kelsey White had three hits and drove in two runs in the second game for the Cowgirls, and Jessie Duell scored three runs.
Scott City is 1-1 overall and 1-1 in GWAC play, and will travel to Liberal on Friday to take on the Redskins, while Goodland is 1-3 overall, and 1-1 in league play, as they host Hugoton on Thursday, and travel to Garden City on Friday.
Coach Erin Myers Postgame
