The Allen Community College softball team begins its postseason journey on Saturday when they host Cloud County Community College.
Allen (31-19, 12-10 KJCCC) opens the playoffs as a six-seed, which gives them the opportunity to host nine-seeded Cloud (17-19, 7-15 KJCCC). It is the first time Allen will host a playoff game since 2011, when they defeated Hesston College.
“It is really exciting,” Allen pitcher Reagan Beckley said. “I know that we are going to have a lot of students (supporting us). We are going to have a lot of families supporting us, too. It will be great to have that home field advantage.”
The Red Devils enter the playoffs winning four of their last five games.
“Our defense is definitely hitting its peak right now with pitching and the position players,” Allen coach Jaime Jensen said.
Sophomore Baileigh Rager leads the Red Devil staff that includes freshmen Beckley and Paige Duggar. All three have been gaining confidence throughout the year, Beckley said.
“I’m really confident in all three of us,” Beckley said. “I know we can get the job done when we need to. I know we’ve all been improving throughout the season and we are going to go out and rock it.”
Beckley’s ability to step in as the team’s No. 2 starter has been key to the rotation’s success.
“Reagan just has that calm composure out there and has been really good when we need her,” Jensen said. “I’m confident in (Rager and Beckley).”
The Red Devils have faced the T-Birds twice this season. They split the two games in Concordia.
Rager pitched 6 2/3 innings in relief of Beckley in the eight-inning 5-4 win in game one.
“I’m more confident than the first time we played them,” Beckley said. “I feel like this is my weekend to get redemption. I’m really excited to see what they have.”
Cloud County’s Bayleigh Cope held the Red Devils to five hits in game two and the T-Birds defeated the Red Devils 6-1.
This weekend, the team will also host “Sophomore Day” after their regualr season finale was rained out on Tuesday. The entire team wants to make sure this isn’t the last weekend those sophomores play for Allen.
“A lot of them are going to go on and play after this season,” Beckley said. “I feel as freshmen, we need to step up and really help them out to get the job done this weekend.”
The lineup is healthy going into the playoffs which is a change from last year when Neosho County Community College eliminated Allen in the opening round.
