[Softball] Walters Notches 400th Career Strikeout as Softball Falcons Sweep Regular Season ...

WICHITA, Kan. – Friends University senior pitcher Hali Walters (SR/Longmont, Colo.) recorded her 400th career strikeout to help the Friends University Falcons win both games over the Southwestern College Lady Builders in their home and regular season finale today (Apr. 27) at Two Rivers Youth Complex.

The two victories move the Falcons into third place in the KCAC at 18-6, just a half game behind Bethany College for the second spot.

Walters allowed her only run on an RBI double by MacKenzie Lyons in the first inning, but also struck out two batters in the same frame to reach the milestone.

The Falcon bats answered in the bottom of the first to support Walters as Savannah Jackson (JR/Ramona, Calif. ) singled home Kat Davis (JR/Keller, Texas) as part of a two-run inning.

Makenna Mitchell (SO/Orange County, Calif. ) then hit her sixth home run of the season in the bottom of the second that turned out to be the final run of the opening tilt.

Walters finished with nine strikeouts in her complete game victory and held the Lady Builders scoreless on just one hit through the final six innings.

Davis and Jackson each had a pair of hits for the Falcons in the first game win.

"I am very proud of all the hard work Hali has put into this program as a Falcon!" Friends softball head coach Suzanne Unruh said.

The Falcons took control early in the nightcap, scoring a run in the bottom of the first and then another in the second on Hannah Lang (JR/Topeka, Kan. )'s fourth homer of the season.

The floodgates then opened when RBI singles by Lacee Travens (SO/Reno, Nev. ) and Meghan Low (JR/Collinsville, Okla.) keyed a three-run fourth inning and a two-run blast by Jackson in the fifth accounted for the Falcons' seventh runs of the game.

Making her first career start, Laila Spracklen (SO/San Diego, Calif. ) dazzled through six shutout innings with a career-best eight strikeouts to pick up her first career victory.

Ashlyn Jacobs (SR/Valley Center, Kan. ) then stranded the bases loaded and struck out one in a scoreless seventh frame to cap the second game victory.

Jackson had two more hits for the Falcons (29-14, 18-6 KCAC), while Julie Long also had a pair of hits for the Lady Builders (10-27, 4-20 KCAC).

The Falcons will now begin preparations for the upcoming KCAC postseason tournament on May 5-7 in Great Bend, Kan.

"We finished strong tonight and I hope to take this confidence into next week at the KCAC conference tournament!" Unruh said.