Big innings spelled big trouble for Allen Community College’s softball team over the weekend.
Visiting Cowley scored five runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to break open a pitchers’ duel in an 11-0 win in Friday’s opener before scoring eight in the sixth to break open a 4-3 lead. The game wound up 12-3.
Independence didn’t necessarily rely on a big inning in Saturday’s opener, but scored in five consecutive frames for a 7-0 win.
The Pirates then scored five in the fourth on the way to a 12-6 win in the nightcap.
Allen resumes play Tuesday with a doubleheader at Fort Scott and a twin bill Thursday at Maple Woods Community College.
Friday
Cowley 11, Allen 0
The game was scoreless until Cowley plated a run with one out in the top of the fourth. The troubles started in the fifth, when Cowley had two hits, had another batter reach on a fielder’s choice and another on an error. Cowely’s Caitlyn Cosme capped the rally with a two-run homer.
Five more in the sixth provided the final margin.
Emily England took the loss, giving up eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Marissa Luna gave up three hits with four walks and a strikeout.
Annie Gentry went 2-for-3 with a double. Cassidy Reynolds had the only other hit, a single.
Cowley 12, Allen 3
The Red Devils took a quick 2-0 lead on a Reynolds single, a walk by Jordan Barger, an RBI grounder by Bailey Burnett and Callie Beene’s run-scoring single.
Cowley took the lead with three in the second and one in the third before Shelby Maycumber’s RBI single scored Stormie Bush to cut the deficit to 4-3 for Allen.
But the first Tiger batters reached base in the sixth — two on errors — as Cowley took control.
England again took the loss, giving up nine hits. Luna allowed four hits with a walk.
