McPherson, Kan. – The Bulldogs opened conference play on Monday against the Tabor College Bluejays. McPherson looked to continue their streak after winning their doubleheader with Hesston and splitting the two games with Southwestern Christian. Tabor also aimed to secure two wins and make it two consecutive sweeps.
The Basics
Location: Bulldog Park
Records: MC 6-8 (KCAC 0-2), TC 10-8 (KCAC 2-0)
Game One: MC 2, TC 4
Samantha Hollingsworth opened Game One in the circle for the Bulldogs, tossing three shutout innings while allowing just three hits. Tabor’s starting pitcher matched her early success, holding McPherson scoreless through the first four innings. The Bluejays broke through in the fourth inning with a double down the left field line to plate the game’s first run.
Tabor extended their lead to 4-0 in the fifth inning on a single up the middle followed by a triple into deep right-center field. Layla Towner answered for the Bulldogs in the bottom half of the inning after launching a deep shot over the wall in left center to trim the deficit to three.
McPherson continued their late push in the sixth scoring again on a single from Hailey Shubin and a Tabor error in right field. The Bulldogs were unable to generate any further offense as they fell to the Bluejays 4-2 in Game One.
Game Two: MC 1, TC 2
The second game of the day turned into a pitcher’s duel between McPherson’s Landri Lopez and Tabor’s Jordan Smith. Both teams were held scoreless in the first two innings before the Bluejays once again struck first as they drove home a run on a double up the left field line to take a 1-0 lead in the third.
The fourth inning saw most of the scoring in Game Two, as Tabor doubled their lead on a single in the top of the inning. McPherson responded in the bottom half when Justice Large delivered a single up the middle that brought Emma Puebla home, cutting the deficit to one.
Both teams put up zeros in the next two innings, but the Bulldogs had their best chance of the ballgame in the bottom of the seventh. With the tying run at second base and the go-ahead run at the plate, Hollingsworth came to the plate in a last effort to split the series. After getting ahead early in the count, Hollingsworth made contact with the fourth pitch of the at bat. She sent the ball out into left field, but Tabor’s left fielder was there to make the catch and secure the 2-1 victory over the Bulldogs.
Up Next
McPherson will travel to Leavenworth, Kansas on Saturday to face off against the University of Saint Mary Spires. Game One of the doubleheader is set to begin at 2:00 PM.
