[Softball] Softball Falcons continue to roll offensively in Senior Day sweep over Tabor
WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons ran their winning streak to five games in a Senior Day sweep of the Tabor College Bluejays by convincing scores of 15-0 and 11-3 at a rainy and chilly Two Rivers Youth Complex in Wichita. The Falcons have outscored the opposition 71-10 during the five-game stretch.
The victories run the Falcons' overall record to 27-9 overall and keeps them a close second to Ottawa University in the KCAC with a 15-3 league record.
"I just thought we fought the cold and windy weather very well!" said Friends softball head coach Suzanne Unruh. "We've played six games in five days, and to come out today and hit the way we did is incredible. I'm so glad we were able to win two today for our seniors!"
Becca Dunn (SO/Jurupa Valley, Calif. ) anchored the Falcon attack in the first game with a 4-of-4 effort at the plate and three RBIs, starting with a single in the bottom of the first that plated Priscilla Mora (SO/Beaumont, Calif. ) to finish a two-run frame.
A two-run double by Laila Spracklen (SR/San Diego, Calif. ) then kicked off a five-run second inning before the Falcons exploded for seven runs in the third.
Mora then put a bow on the big victory with her seventh home run of the season and third in the last two games in the bottom of the fourth.
Spracklen and Mora also drove in three runs, with Makenna Mitchell (SR/Orange County, Calif. ) singling in a run and bringing home another with a sacrifice fly. Fallyn Marshall (JR/Syracuse, Utah) went 3-of-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI, while Jayden Estabrook (SO/Tracy, Calif. ) had two hits and two runs with one RBI. Aleigha Gale (JR/Winfield, Kan. ) also had a hit and a run scored.
In the circle, Spracklen blanked the Bluejays over 4 1/3 innings and struck out eight and walked none. Spracklen now has 435 career strikeouts, just six shy of Brandi Leeker's career record of 441 set in 2006-09.
The Falcons again erupted early in the nightcap with a seven-run first inning, started by a two-run single by Carolyn Dallimore (SR/Patterson, Calif. ), who then scored on a single by Dunn before Vanessa Sigala (JR/Carson, Calif. ) doubled in a pair of runs.
Dunn wasn't through and had a two-run single in the third ahead of a bases-loaded walk to Mora in the third for the Falcons' 10th run.
After Mary Yandell put the Bluejays on the board for the first time on the day with a three-run homer in the fourth, Mitchell hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the frame and scored on a single by Estabrook to push the Falcon lead back to eight runs.
Isabelle Schwien (JR/Denver, Colo. ) then stranded a runner in scoring position in the fifth to finish off the Falcons' fourth consecutive run-rule victory. She struck out five and walked two with three runs allowed in picking up the win.
Dunn drove in three more runs in the second tilt, while the Falcons got two RBIs each from Dallimore, Mora, Sigala and Estabrook. Spracklen also had two hits and scored a pair of runs for Friends.
Laura Savage went 2-of-3 in the second game for Tabor (13-21, 6-10 KCAC).
In addition to Gale, Dallimore, Marshall, Spracklen and Mitchell being honored for Senior Day, Tate Tilley-Bedick (SR/Cashion, Okla. ) saw time in right field and Heather Scott (SR/Las Vegas, Nev. ) was also recognized.
The Falcons will next be at McPherson College Wednesday afternoon (Apr. 19) starting at 2 pm in McPherson, Kan.