[Softball] Spracklen's opening game two-way performance helps Softball Falcons split with No. ...

WICHITA, Kan. – Junior pitcher Laila Spracklen (JR/San Diego, Calif. ) was dominant in the circle and contributed heavily at the plate to lead the Friends University Falcons to a 6-0 victory and snap the No. 22-ranked Ottawa University Braves' 10-game winning streak in the opening game today (Mar. 29) at Two Rivers Youth Complex. The Braves battled back to escape with a 9-8 win in the second tilt.

Spracklen tossed seven scoreless frames and struck out nine while allowing just two hits in handing the Braves their first shutout defeat of the season. She was in her groove from the outset, fanning the first six Braves she faced through the first two innings.

The San Diego, Calif. native also hit her third homer of the season in the sixth to increase the Falcons' lead to 4-0.

The Falcons weren't done in the sixth, with Meghan Low (SR/Collinsville, Okla.) doubling home Hannah Lang (SR/Topeka, Kan. ) and scoring on a triple by Aleigha Gale (SO/Winfield, Kan. ).

Jennifer Garcia (SO/Sylamar, Calif. ) got the Falcons off and running in the third-inning with a three-run blast that snapped a scoreless tie.

Gale and Low each had two hits in the first game win for the Falcons.

The nightcap was a back-and-forth ride with the Braves taking an early 5-2 lead behind a two-run homer by Justyse Rodriguez.

The Falcons (11-14, 4-4 KCAC) responded in a big way, exploding for six runs in the third that featured an RBI single from Savannah Jackson (SR/Ramona, Calif. ), a two-run double by Makenna Mitchell (JR/Orange County, Calif. ) and a two-run triple from Gale to make it 8-5.

But Casson Rasmussen, the Braves' opening game starter, came on and blanked the Falcons over the last 4.2 innings to allow Ottawa's offense to have the final answer.

Allison Kearney started to bring the Braves back with a solo homer in the fourth and a double by Aliks Serna combined with an error in left field later in the inning cut the Falcon lead to one run.

It was then Riley Newbold hitting her first homer of the season to tie the game in the fifth and then homering again in the seventh to give the Braves (17-8-1, 7-1 KCAC) the win.

Gale and Jackson had two hits apiece, with Carolyn Dallimore (JR/Patterson, Calif. ) and Vanessa Sigala (SO/Carson, Calif. ) each contributing an RBI single.

Newbold and Rodriguez each had three hits in the Braves' second game win.

The Falcons will next turn around and host McPherson College Thursday afternoon (Mar. 31) starting at 3 pm.