WICHITA, Kan. – On a day set aside to honor the Friends University Softball Seniors, it was junior pitcher Riley Wertz making sure the day was memorable with her first career no-hitter in an 8-0 rout of the Sterling College Warriors in the first game today (Apr. 13) at Two Rivers Youth Complex. The Falcons then completed the sweep with a 9-4 victory in the second tilt. Friends remains in a tie for fifth (Oklahoma Wesleyan) in the KCAC with a 13-7 conference record along with a 25-15 overall mark.
In a great piece of symmetry, it was Laila Spracklen, who had pitched the Falcons' most recent no-hitter last year, hitting a two-run in the bottom of the fifth to finish the game on a run-rule and assure Wertz's no-no.
Wertz struck out six batters and walked just one in her spotless five innings in the circle.
Fallyn Marshall and Carolyn Dallimore each singled to lead off the bottom of the first in the opening game to set the table for a three-run home run by Priscilla Mora.
Marshall then singled in Makenna Mitchell in the second inning for a 4-0 Falcon lead.
The Falcons continued the onslaught behind an RBI double by Dallimore and an RBI single from Mora before Spracklen's two-run blast in the fifth ended the game.
Mora drove in four runs and had two hits for the Falcons, with Marshall, Dallimore and Vanessa Sigala also recording two hits.
Friends again jumped on the Warriors in the nightcap when Becca Dunn doubled in Mora in the bottom of the first.
The Falcons then powered up with two-run homers from both Dallimore and Dunn capping a five-run fourth inning that made the score 7-0.
But the Warriors got back in it by capitalizing on an error in the fifth that led to a three-run double by Alexis Hillhouse to cut the Falcon lead to three runs.
Mora though wouldn't be denied and blasted her second homer of the day and team-leading 10th of the season to push the Falcon lead back to five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
"Senior Day is always an awesome day celebrating players that put in hard work both in the classroom and on the field!" said Friends softball head coach Suzanne Unruh. "It's even sweeter with two conference wins and when we continue to play our best ball!"
Kierstan Weitze finished off the second game victory with a pair of scoreless innings to earn her second save of the season.
Spracklen was the Falcons' game two starter and went five innings with five strikeouts and no earned runs allowed to pick up the win.
Mora was 3-of-3 with three runs scored and two runs driven in, while Dunn went 2-of-4 at the plate with three RBIs.
The Falcons will look to extend their winning streak on Wednesday (Apr. 17) at Southwestern College, with the first game set to begin at 3 pm in Winfield, Kan.
