[Softball] Falcons Clip (RV) Bulldogs 3-2 to Advance in KCAC Tournament

Great Bend, Kan. – In a matchup of the winningest pitchers in the KCAC this season, it was Friends University's Hali Walters (SO/Longmont, Colo.) coming out on top of McPherson's Christie Betker today (May 3) to help the Falcons win 3-2 and stay in the Winner's bracket of the KCAC postseason tournament at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kan.

The win sets up a date for the Falcons against top-seeded Avila University tomorrow (May 4), with game time still to be determined.

Walters and Betker each entered the day with 16 wins, but it was Walters able to lock in her 17th victory after allowing two earned runs with five strikeouts, none bigger than her game-ending punchout in the seventh inning.

Betker, also the KCAC leader in ERA (1.37), gave up a season-high 10 hits along with three earned runs, tied for the second most she's surrendered all season. She finished with six strikeouts.

The Falcons' decisive sequence in the top of the seventh began with a bunt single by Isabella Gonzalez (SR/Bakersfield, Calif.). With one out, Gonzalez stole second and scored the go-ahead tally following back-to-back walks to Kylie Fox (SR/Wichita, Kan. ) and Mackenzie Nichols (SR/Columbus, Ohio).

Walters then sit down the Bulldogs in order to complete the victory.

Shelby Belloni (SR/Denver, Colo. ) started a two-out rally for the Falcons with a double in the third and scored the game's first run on a single by Kat Davis (FR/Keller, Texas).

In the bottom of the fourth, Hali Walters did a superb job of pitching out of a jam by getting two strikeouts to escape a bases-loaded, no outs threat.

The Falcons scored again in the fifth when Gonzalez singled, stole second and came home when Belloni delivered a single.

McPherson was able to load the bases again in the fifth and this time capitalized on it, as Maile Deutsch and Destiny Bacon hit consecutive RBI singles to tie the score. But Walters limited the damage with a fielder's choice and a fly out to keep the score in a 2-2 gridlock.

Gonzalez sparked the Falcons from the leadoff spot with a 3-of-4 performance at the plate and two runs scored.

Belloni, Fox and Davis also had two hits apiece for the Falcons (26-17).

Bacon had a pair of hits in three at-bats for McPherson (32-15).