Great Bend, Kansas –
The OKWU Softball team was on the road for the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference Softball Tournament on May 1
st in Great Bend, Kansas. Heading into the double elimination tournament as the sixth seed, the Lady Eagles were set to face off against the three seed, Friends University Falcons for their first game on May 1
st at 1:30 PM.
Game 1 vs. Friends University
Heading into their first match-up of the tournament as the visitors, the Lady Eagles were able to take action into their own hands first in order to get on the board early against the Lady Falcons. Unable to put runs on the board in the first, the Lady Eagles enabled the Falcons to a 2 run first innings, causing the Lady Eagles to trail early. The Lady Falcons had another explosive inning at the plate in the 4rd, scoring 3 more runs making it a 5-0 game with 4 innings of play left.
Fighting back in the latter half of the 7-inning ball game, the Lady Eagles were able to score a run in the 4
th and 5
th, cutting the deficit to 5-2. Unable to produce at the plate was the Lady Eagles downfall, giving them their first loss of the tournament and putting them into the loser's bracket with their backs against the wall.
Reagan Rector was the only Lady Eagles in game 1 to record an RBI as she went 1-3 in the box with 1 RBI and a scored run. Maddy Weise was tallied with the loss in the circle against the Lady Falcons, throwing 2.2 innings, giving up 5 hits and 3 earned runs.
Game 2 vs. Avila University
Entering the loser's bracket with the loss against Friends University, the Lady Eagles needed to rally together in order to remain in the tournament. Facing off against the 5
th seeded Avila University, the Lady Eagles were eager to go head to head with the opponent they split with during regular season play.
As the home team in the match-up, the Lady Eagles took the field with
Saige Smith on the mound. Throwing all 7 innings, Smith allowed 8 hits, 4 earned runs, and struck out 7 of the Avila hitters. The Lady Eagles were unable to fight in the box once again, accumulating only 6 hits off of Avila pitcher, Madison Cotton.
Falling 4-0, the Lady Eagles bowed out of the KCAC Tournament and concluded their 2024 season.
HIGHLIGHTS
The Lady Eagles graduate 6 seniors and look to rebuild this summer. Congratulations Lady Eagles on an impressive season.