Hovpensports.com - Lady Tigers sweep Pratt with 5-HR

March 8, 2013

Rama Peroo, CCC-SID
Special to Hovpensports.com

Lady Tigers blast five home runs in sweep of Pratt

Running its home record to 8-0 on the season, the No. 3-ranked Cowley College softball team belted five home runs in a doubleheader sweep of Pratt Thursday in Arkansas City. The Lady Tigers hit four home runs in an 11-4 win of game one and easily won game two by a score of 7-0.

Cowley is now 14-3 overall and 4-0 in the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division. Pratt drops to 5-11 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

In game one, Cowley led 5-1 thanks to a two-run homer by Haley Strawn in the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Pratt answered back with three runs in the top of the sixth inning on a RBI single by Sam Garrison and a two-run homer by Brenda Novelo.

Leading 5-4, freshman Stephanie Couser led off the sixth inning by blasting her second home run of the season. Later in the inning, freshman Jordan Haya would deliver the crushing blow by smacking a grand slam for her first home run of the season.

One out later, Austen Hilt followed suit with her first home run of the year as Cowley scored six runs in the inning.

Cowley has home runs from nine different players on the season.

"That is the thing about this team, we can explode for runs at any time," Cowley head coach Ed Hargrove said.

Strawn went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in the win, while Keelyn Bonar allowed seven hits and four runs as she improved her record to 6-1 on the season. Raushell Baca allowed 10 hits and nine earned runs for Pratt.

In game two, Cowley pitchers Jessica Seay and Brooke Benge combined on a 1-hit shutout. Seay allowed just one hit in five innings before giving way to Benge, who retired all six batters she faced. The victory for Seay was her team-leading seventh of the year as she is now 7-0 on the season.

Prior to Thursday, Benge had struggled on the mound.

"I was thrilled with the pitching by Jessica and Brooke," Hargrove said. "I felt we needed to get Brooke some innings and I am sure that performance will do a lot for her confidence."

Haya hit her second home run of the doubleheader in the nightcap and drove in three, while Strawn capped a stellar day by going 3-for-4 with a RBI.

Cowley finished with 10 hits in game two and took advantage of five errors by Pratt Elizabeth Ortega allowed 10 hits and four earned runs as she took the loss for Pratt.

Cowley's busy week will contijavascript:SetCmd(cmdSend);nue when they take part in the Midwest JUCO Classic Saturday and Sunday in Bixby, OK. Cowley will play three games on Saturday and three on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m. each day.

The Lady Tigers will face some stiff competition at the tournament, including facing NJCAA Division I No. 6-ranked Northeastern Oklahoma, and NJCAA Division II No. 12-ranked Des Moines Area Community College.

"It will be a real test for us," Hargrove said.

Score by inning:
Game one R H E
Pratt 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 - 4 7 2
Cowley 0 3 0 2 0 6 x - 11 10 1

Game two R H E
Pratt 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 1 5
Cowley 0 1 3 0 3 0 x - 7 10 1

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