Red Devils left stranded in opening round

Hits, hits everywhere, but not the key hits to win.
Allen County Community College’s Red Devils were hitting the softball Sunday in the deciding third game. But they stranded 10 base runners in a game they lost 5-4.
Allen County went into this weekend’s NJCAA Region VI, Division II, District E playoff series with the momentum.
 The Red Devils were playing at home as the No. 3 seed in the region, hosting Kansas City, Kan., Community College. They had beaten the Blue Devils this season in Jayhawk Eastern Division play. They had won 10 of their last 12 games overall.
But the team that had come up with key hits throughout the season. Came up short Sunday, a day after the best-two-of-three series was to have started because of rain.
The teams played Sunday instead of Saturday at ACCC softball field. And it came down to playing three games in a row to decide the series.
“We had things set up at times in each of the games. We just couldn’t cash in on them. We had some outstanding defensively plays and we hit the ball but a lot of times right at people,” said Ed Wilkerson, ACCC head coach.
Kansas City’s sophomore Sarah Payan outpitched ACCC’s freshman Lenzie Boring in a 1-0 Blue Devil win in the opener. Boring only gave up three hits and walked three. She struck out nine.
Kansas City scored in the third with two gone, which became a trend. Rose Breitenstein drew a walk and scored on a  double by Chelsea Crouch.
Allen County had five hits against Payan but left four runners on base in the game. Brandie Hutcheson had two singles for ACCC. Jenna Sigg had a triple while Shawna Blakesley and Autumn Lamle each had a single.
Payan and Codi Schierbaum had singles for KCK.
Allen County sophomore Brianne Campbell had a stellar performance on the mound for what was her final appearance. Campbell held the Blue Devils hitless for six innings.
A single by Breitenstein broke up the no-hitter leading off the seventh. Allen County led 3-0 and won the game by that score to force a third game.
Campbell (17-9) did not issue a walk. She gave up one more single to Briannah Williams in the seventh.
“Bri pitched a great game. About halfway through, I realized there hadn’t been a base runner at all. She had a perfect game going until the hit in the seventh,” Wilkerson said.
In the second game, Allen County got a run in the first inning. Blakesley singled followed by a bunt single by Megan Dillow, who was 3-for-3 in the game. Sigg’s sacrifice fly brought in the run.
The 1-0 lead stood up until the Red Devils added two runs in the sixth. Dillow doubled and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Sigg. Lamle doubled in the run and scored on a double by Callie Umholtz.
Dillow had two singles and a double in the game and Umholtz hit a single and a double. Blakesley and Denise Swanson had a single each.
Fallon Thompson was the losing pitcher for KCK. She gave up eight hits and had one strikeout.
Fifteen minutes after the conclusion of the 3-0 win for Allen County, the two teams were back on the diamond for the third contest.
Boring was pitching for Allen County. Payan was Kansas City’s pitcher.
All of Kansas City’s scoring, even in the first game of the series, came with two outs in the inning. The Blue Devils came up with three singles and a double to score three runs in the first inning with two gone.
The Blue Devils’ added another run — with two out — in the second on a single, a walk, an ACCC error and an RBI single by Jenyce Spence.
Allen County was getting runners on in the first two innings but no runs. In the third frame, Dillow reached on an error and Sigg connected for a base hit. Dillow scored on a  wild pitch. That was it.
“In postseason, you need to get contributions from everyone. KCK played very well and got hits with two out from players who hadn’t done that in the regular season,” Wilkerson said.
Allen County tried stretching things out with base running, much like it had throughout the season.
Kansas City hit into a double play in the fourth inning. A bunt by Erika Gonzales was turned into a double play when Blakesley, who took the throw at first, quickly  threw to  shortstop
Kelci Owens at second base.  Owens dived to get the ball and tag out Michielle Rodarte, who had overrun the base.
Rose Breitenstein became a thorn in ACCC’s side. She singled and moved into scoring position on an error. Crouch came up with an RBI single.
Kansas City led 5-1. Allen County’s defense tightened. Umholtz made a diving catch in shallow left field in the fifth. In center field, Dillow ran down a couple of fly balls including one at the fence late in the game.
Allen County rallied for three runs in the fifth to cut it to 5-4.
Sigg, who was 4-for-4, singled and stole second base. With one gone, Umholtz reached on an error and Hutcheson singled to drive in a run. Kylie Taylor drove a hit down the right field line to drive in run and Hutcheson scored on an error.
The Red Devils stranded two more runners in the sixth inning. In the seventh, the Red Devils went down 1-2-3. Kansas City advances to the District E tournament in Wichita Friday.
“We continued to be aggressive on the base paths. Several times we tried to stretch it without me calling but sometimes you have to follow your instinct,” Wilkerson said.
“KCK did a good job being ready for us.”
Allen County finished it’s best season since 1989, at 39-22. The Red Devils were 21-5 in the Jayhawk Eastern Division and 25-5 in Region VI, Division II play, finishing third in both standings.
In the third game, Boring (19-12) allowed 10 hits and one walk in a losing effort. She struck out four.
Sigg had four singles and Blakesley had two singles. Lamle, Hutcheson, Swanson and Taylor each had a single.
Payan was the winning pitcher, giving up 11 hits and one walk. She struck out five.
“We had a great season. We just weren’t on top of things Sunday. We were told after being rained out Saturday that unless weather dicated otherwise, we had to play all three games Sunday,” Wilkerson said.
“Maybe we’d would have bounced back better if we played the third game Monday. I don’t want to take anything away from the way KCK played Sunday.”
Cowley County defeated Dodge City 5-0, 11-4 and Hutchinson beat Pratt, losing 2-1 then winning 4-2 and 3-1. Highland moved on by beating Hesston 5-4 in eight innings, losing 4-2 then winning 6-1.
On Friday in the Region VI, Division II, District E tournament in Wichita, Cowley County plays Hutchinson and Kansas City takes on Highland. Both games are at 7 p.m.
It is a double elimination event with games scheduled Saturday at Two Rivers Youth Sports Complex.