DALLAS, Texas — The Hesston College softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader to Dallas Christian on April 17, with the remainder of the scheduled four-game series canceled due to weather.
Game 1 — Dallas Christian 8, Hesston 7
The Larks found themselves in an early hole after Dallas Christian plated five runs in the third inning, using a mix of timely hits and aggressive baserunning to take a 5–0 lead.
Hesston responded in the fifth inning, capitalizing on defensive miscues. Gabriella Pantoja reached and advanced into scoring position before Skye Gomez and Ciara Mendez delivered key hits. Mendez’s two-run double highlighted a three-run inning that cut the deficit to 5–3.
The Larks kept the momentum going in the sixth. Abigail Cox singled to start the inning, and a series of base hits from Mia Manzo and Mendez, along with a sacrifice fly from Alexis Newlin, helped Hesston score four runs to take a 7–5 lead.
Dallas Christian answered in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run home run to tie the game, then walked it off in the seventh with a string of singles to secure the 8–7 win.
Mendez led the Larks with two hits and three RBIs, while Gomez and Manzo each scored twice.
Game 2 — Dallas Christian 11, Hesston 1
Dallas Christian carried its momentum into game two, scoring two runs in the first inning and adding another in the second to take an early 3–0 lead.
Hesston got on the board in the third inning when Abigail Cox reached base and later scored on a double play off the bat of Chole Merjil, cutting the deficit to 3–1.
The game broke open in the bottom of the third, as Dallas Christian capitalized on errors and timely hitting to score seven runs in the inning and extend the lead to 10–1.
Dallas Christian added one more run in the fourth, while the Larks were unable to generate additional offense down the stretch.
Newlin led Hesston with two hits in the game, while Merjil recorded the team’s lone RBI.
The Larks were scheduled to play a second doubleheader on April 18, but those games were canceled due to weather.
Hesston will return to action on Wednesday, April 22 on the road at Kansas Wesleyan in Salina.
