[Softball] From walk-off to run-rule, Softball Falcons come away with sweep of Sterling

WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons defeated the Sterling College Warriors first on a walk-off and then a run-rule rout to close out a sweep tonight (Apr. 3) at Two Rivers Youth Complex. Friends won the opener 9-8 and then 11-2 in the second tilt. Friends is now 10 games above .500 at 18-8 overall and now sit in a virtual tie for fourth in the KCAC at 6-2 in the league.

The Falcons had to battle back in the opener after the Warriors plated four runs in the seventh to turn a two-run deficit into an 8-6 lead.

But Jayden Estabrook (SO/Tracy, Calif. ) drew a lead-off walk to spark a three-run frame and scored the first run when Carolyn Dallimore (SR/Patterson, Calif. ) was hit by a pitch with the bases-loaded.

Another walk to Becca Dunn (SO/Jurupa Valley, Calif. ) tied the score and Priscilla Mora (SO/Beaumont, Calif. ) ended the game with a walk-off sacrifice fly that chased home pinch-runner Alex Vick (FR/San Antonio, Texas).

The Falcons were forced to rally a couple times prior to the last inning as Madilynn Green homered for the Warriors in the top of the first.

RBI singles by Estabrook and Fallyn Marshall (JR/Syracuse, Utah) in the bottom of the second put the Falcons on top before Aiyana Campos singled in the tying run in the third for Sterling.

Laila Spracklen (SR/San Diego, Calif. ) then hit her fifth homer of the season in the bottom of the third to give the Falcons the lead, but the Warriors responded again with a two-run double by Maria Casillas in the fifth to regain the lead.

Mora continued the back-and-forth action with an RBI single before scoring on a triple by Vanessa Sigala (JR/Carson, Calif. ) to put the Falcons back in front. Sigala would then come home on an infield single from Estabrook to make it 6-4 in favor of the Falcons.

Mora was a perfect 3-of-3 at the plate, while Spracklen also recorded three hits in the opening game victory for the Falcons.

In the circle, Spracklen fanned a career-high 13 batters while giving up four earned runs (eight total) in seven innings for her ninth win of the season.

Campos had three hits in five at-bats for Sterling.

The Falcons had a much smoother win in the second game, jumping on the Warriors early with a two-run double from Marshall in the bottom of the second.

Becca Dunn then doubled home two more runs before a three-run blast by Estabrook capped a huge five-run third frame for the Falcons.

Sam Araiza hit a two-run homer in the fifth to put the Warriors on the board, but the Falcons got an RBI single by Marshall, a run-scoring double from Aleigha Gale (JR/Winfield, Kan. ) and finally a two-run single by Spracklen up the middle to put away Sterling via the run rule in the bottom of the fifth.

Marshall ignited the Falcon attack with three hits from the leadoff spot, with Estabrook driving in three runs on her second homer of the season. Friends also got two RBIs each from Gale, Spracklen and Dunn.

Makenna Linden went 2-of-2 for the Warriors (7-17, 1-7 KCAC).

Isabelle Schwien (JR/Denver, Colo. ) improved to 8-2 on the year with a stellar outing in the circle, striking out four and allowing two runs over five innings.

The Falcons will now turnaround and play at the University of Saint Mary Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 5) starting at 3 pm in Leavenworth, Kan.