Softball | 3/28/2025 3:31:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 The Cloud County Community College softball team dropped both ends of its Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference opening doubleheader at Byers Field in Coffeyville, Kansas on Thursday, March 27, falling 7-4 in the opener before an 8-7 setback in extra innings in game two.

In the opener, Coffeyville grabbed an early 2-0 lead following a two-run home run by freshman Kaylee Henderson in the bottom of the first inning. The T-Birds tied the game in the top of the fourth when two runners scored on freshman Maliyah Koster's RBI single. Freshman Lilly Ellison later singled to score Koster, putting Cloud County in front 3-2. Ellison added another run-scoring single in the top half of the sixth inning to push the lead to 4-2. Coffeyville responded by loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. A pair of defensive miscues allowed freshmen Abrianna Guzman and Winter Beaver to score, tying the game at 4-all. Freshmen Teagan Titus and Katelynn Siess added back-to-back run-scoring singles and the Red Ravens held on for the 7-4 victory.

Ellison and Koster both finished with two hits and two RBI each. Freshman Bella Santin went 2-for-4 with one run scored. Freshman Berkleigh Curtis and sophomore Jillian Artiges added one run each.

Sophomore Paige Mahler took the loss after allowing seven runs, three earned, on nine hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

Game two saw the T-Birds fall behind 4-0 in the first. Freshman Raya Eilert led off the game with a solo home run, and freshman Dani Banks later drilled a three-run shot for the Red Ravens. Cloud County cut the deficit to one run in the top of the third when a single by Santin scored Mahler and freshman Kia Stokes, while a sacrifice fly by Koster brought home freshman Hailey Garcia. Coffeyville answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but the T-Birds again closed the gap when freshman Emalee Johnson smacked a two-out, three-run home run to drive in Stokes and Santin in the top of the fifth.

After Coffeyville was retired in order in the bottom of the fifth, Cloud County tied the contest at 7-all in the top half of the sixth when Mahler scored on an RBI ground out by Santin.

Coffeyville was retired in succession in the sixth and seventh innings. The T-Birds had the potential go-ahead run on first base in the top of the seventh when sophomore Camille Stauffer recorded a two-out single, but she was ultimately left stranded.

Cloud County had two players get on base in the top of the eighth when Mahler reached on an infield error followed by a base-hit by Artiges, but Coffeyville freshman pitcher Kori Kramer was able to get Garcia to line out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Aaliyah Thompson reached on a one-out walk for the Red Ravens. After stealing second, Thompson scored the game-winning run on an RBI single by Jadyn Roberts.

The T-Birds had ten hits, including five extra-base hits, in the loss. Stokes went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored. Smith was 2-for-4 with a double. Mahler also had a double and scored two runs. Garcia added a triple with a run scored, while Johnson finished with the three-run home run. Santin also tallied three RBI.

Freshman Olivia Becker suffered the loss. Becker pitched the final 3.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and a strikeout. Sophomore Brecken Whitney started the game, throwing the first four innings and allowing seven runs, four earned, on 11 hits with one walk and one strikeout.

The T-Birds return to action on Saturday, March 29, hosting No. 17 Johnson County Community College at the CCCC Softball Field. The first pitch is scheduled for noon.