[Softball] Softball Falcons rally in second game to split at No. 17 Ottawa

Ottawa, Kan. – Trailing by three runs following an opening game loss, the Friends University Falcons got things going and scored six unanswered runs to win the second tilt 6-3 to come away with a split in a battle of the KCAC's top two teams today (Apr. 11) in Ottawa, Kan.

Ottawa remains in the top spot in the KCAC with a 14-1 conference record, followed by the Falcons in second at 11-3 in the league.

The Braves took the first game 2-0 and then grabbed a 3-0 lead in the nightcap with two runs in the second and a solo homer from Allison Kearney in the third inning.

That's the point in the game the Falcons began to mount their response, as an RBI single by Becca Dunn (SO/Jurupa Valley, Calif. ) finished a two-run fourth inning.

The Falcons then managed to pull even when Carolyn Dallimore (SR/Patterson, Calif. ) hit a two-out single to score Aleigha Gale (JR/Winfield, Kan. ) in the fifth. Pinch runner Marina Roman (FR/Eastvale, Calif.) was thrown out at home, but the game was still 3-3.

Once in extra innings, Priscilla Mora (SO/Beaumont, Calif. ) singled home Lalia Spracklen with the go-ahead run while Dallimore also scored on an error for a two-run Falcon lead. Makenna Mitchell (SR/Orange County, Calif. ) then singled in Mora for a valuable insurance tally for Friends.

In the bottom of the eighth, Spracklen sat the Braves down in order to finish out the victory.

Spracklen had come on in the seventh inning and blanked the Braves with two strikeouts to earn her 12th win of the season.

The Falcons out-hit the Braves 11-7, led by two hits apiece from Dallimore, Mora, Mitchell and Aleigha Gale.

Isabelle Schwien (JR/Denver, Colo. ) started the second game and went six innings with four strikeouts and three runs allowed.

The opening game was a pitcher's duel that saw the Braves' Ashlynn Mercer win her 14th game and get the best of the Falcons.

Mercer shut out Friends on three hits through seven innings while striking out five and walking none.  

Spracklen was also solid, fanning nine batters and walking just two along with one earned run allowed during six frames in the circle for the Falcons.

The Braves scored the first run of the game on an error in the bottom of the first and then used a double-steal with Riley Newbold stealing home and Madison Bunfill swiping second in the bottom of the third for what proved to be the final run of the contest.

Mora went 2-of-3 for the Falcons (23-9, 11-3 KCAC), with Newbold also going 2-of-3 with a pair of runs scored for Ottawa (31-6, 14-2 KCAC).

The Falcons are next at York University Thursday afternoon (Apr. 13) starting at 3 pm in York, Neb.