Scott City softball sweeps Ulysses

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–Both Scott City and Ulysses came in struggling in their first four games of the year. Tuesday’s GWAC opener for both teams gave the teams an opportunity to gain confidence in the young season. In the end, it would be a sweep for the Lady Beavers in their home and league opener. Scott City dominated the first inning with an 11-1 win in five innings, and rallied for a 15-14 win in the finale.

Scott City 11, Ulysses 1, Game 1 (5 Innings)
In a game that took 60 minutes exactly to play, Scott City dominated early. After a scoreless inning, the Lady Beavers picked up two runs in the second to take the early 2-0 lead. In the third inning Scott City would open the game up with seven runs, sending 11 batters to the plate. The seven-run rally would be highlighted by a three-run double by Gabby Martinez that made the score 9-1. In the fourth, Shelby Patton closed out the scoring for the Lady Beavers with a two-run double to make it 11-0. In a final opportunity to extend the game, Ulysses would score their lone run on a passed ball, as Clara Garcia scored from third to make it 11-1, which ended up being the final.

Gabby Martinez went 3-3 with three RBI, while Aspyn Nix and Shelby Patton drove in two runs. Jacelynn Buffington needed just 66 pitches to pick up the win in five innings, giving up an unearned run on three hits with seven strikeouts. Jyntri Moyer took the loss, giving up 11 runs, four earned, on seven hits. Both teams had two errors.

Scott City 15, Ulysses 14, Game 2
Game two was a roller coaster of a game. Ulysses would lead the game for a majority of the seven innings. The Lady Tigers led 2-0 after a half an inning, taking advantage of a passed ball and an error. Scott City would come back with four runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted a three-run blast to center field by freshman Tori Ford, that helped the Lady Beavers take a 4-2 lead after an inning. Ulysses roared back in a big way in the second inning, taking advantage of errors and hit batters. An eight-run second inning gave the Lady Tigers a 10-4 lead. Clara Garcia started off the inning with a solo home run, and also drove in anther run in the inning and scored the eighth run of the top of the second. Ulysses sent 12 to bat in the inning. Scott City battled back with four runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run single by Melany Duff to help pull them back into the game at 10-8. Ulysses would add another run in the fourth, and the Lady Beavers rallied for two runs in the bottom of the fourth to make it 11-10 Tigers. The Lady Tigers added two runs on a Scott City error in the fifth and a Nikki Wilken sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh to give Ulysses the 14-10 lead. That set up the dramatics for the Lady Beavers in the bottom of the inning. Scott City scored their final four runs with two outs. Trailing 14-12, Aspyn Nix hit a single to left field that scored two runs to tie the game up at 14. On the very next pitch, Shelby Patton lined a shot to left field, scoring Ella Rumford from second to give the Lady Beavers the 15-14 walk off win.

Jacelynn Buffington picked up the win, going all seven innings in the circle, giving up 14 runs, just four earned, on seven hits, with four strikeouts. Tori Ford had two hits and four RBI, while Aspyn Nix had two hits and three RBI and Shelby Patton and Melany Duff had two runs driven in. Alejandra Corral took the loss for Ulysses, going 4 1/3 innings of relief, giving up nine runs, four earned, on nine hits with one strikeout. Clara Garcia had two hits and two RBI, Linda Gomez and Alyssa Castilleja drove in two hits apiece. Scott City outhit Ulysses 11-7. The Lady Beavers would have eight errors, while the Lady Tigers had five.

With the two wins, Scott City swept Ulysses in a doubleheader for the first time since 2016.

Scott City improves to 2-4 on the year, and 2-0 in the Great West Activities Conference. They’ll host Lakin on Thursday. Ulysses drops to 1-5 overall, and 0-2 in GWAC play. They will host Goodland next Tuesday.

Head Coach Erin Myers Postgame