OTTAWA, Kan. — The Hesston College softball team dropped both games of a road doubleheader Saturday at Alumni Park, falling 13–0 in five innings in the opener and 11–1 in six innings in game two.
Game 1 – Ottawa 13, Hesston 0 (5 innings)
Ottawa set the tone early, scoring once in the first inning after a pair of singles and an RBI base hit to take a 1–0 lead. Hesston had an early opportunity in the top of the first when Gabriella Pantoja and Serena Hewes reached on back-to-back errors, putting runners on the corners, but the Braves escaped the inning without damage.
The game turned in the third. Ottawa strung together six hits in the frame, including a triple down the left-field line, a two-run double and a two-run single to plate eight runs and stretch the lead to 9–0. The Braves added four more in the fourth, capitalizing on a leadoff double, a walk and a two-run double to right, followed by a sacrifice fly and an unearned run to close out the scoring.
Hesston finished with three hits, as Corlyn McGaha singled in the third, Alexis Newlin recorded a base hit in the fourth and Chloe Merjil added a single in the fifth. Arlynn Smith started in the circle and Moriah Ortiz came on in relief as the Braves totaled 11 hits in the run-rule victory.
Game 2 – Ottawa 11, Hesston 1 (6 innings)
Ottawa again jumped ahead in the first inning of game two. A leadoff triple set up a sacrifice fly, and a solo home run made it 2–0 before Hesston recorded the final out. The Braves added four more in the second, using a pair of doubles and an RBI single to extend the lead to 6–0.
Hesston answered in the fourth. Newlin sparked the rally with a double to center field, and Skye Gomez followed with an RBI single to right to put the Larks on the board at 6–1. McGaha and Ciara Mendez each added singles later in the game, and McGaha also swiped a base as the Larks looked to build momentum.
Ottawa put the game away in the sixth inning. A leadoff double and single started the rally before a two-run base hit made it 8–1. After a walk extended the inning, a three-run home run to center sealed the 11–1 final.
Kali Adams went the distance in the circle for Hesston, allowing 11 runs on 11 hits.
The Larks will head to North Newton on Tuesday, March 3rd to face Bethel College in a road doubleheader starting at 3:00 PM.
