WICHITA, Kan. – The Friends University Falcons and the University of Saint Mary Spires split two games today (Apr. 3) in KCAC action at Two Rivers Youth Complex.
Down 2-0 in the opener, the Falcons plated three runs in the fourth, starting with an infield single by Jayden Estabrook. The two go ahead runs then scored when Fallyn Marshall reached on an error and was credited with an RBI on the first run.
Then in the fifth, Becca Dunn unloaded her sixth home run of the season to give the Falcons a two-run cushion.
Riley Wertz made it stand, keeping the Spires off the board from the third inning on and striking out seven in the complete game, 4-2 victory.
Estabrook finished the opening game 2-of-3, with Jessica Strandlund and Grace Rose each recording a pair of hits for Saint Mary.
The nightcap started as a microcosm of the first tilt, with this time the Falcons jumping on top when Carolyn Dallimore doubled in the first and scored on another homer by Dunn.
This time, it was the Spires scoring four unanswered runs, capped by a go-ahead two-run homer by Rose in the fifth.
But the Falcons battle back behind an RBI double by Kierstan Weitze and a single by Makenna Mitchell that drove home Weitze with the tying run in the sixth.
Once in extra innings, the Spires grabbed the lead back on an RBI groundout by Strandlund.
Desarae Chavez, the Spires' game one starter, had come on in the middle of the sixth inning of the second game and blanked the Falcons over the final three innings to preserve the 5-4 win for Saint Mary.
Mitchell went 2-of-4 for the Falcons (20-14, 8-6 KCAC) in the second game, while Strandlund and Rose each had two more hits for the Spires (20-16, 9-5 KCAC). Rose also drove in three runs along with serving as the starting pitcher and going four innings with two runs allowed and a pair of strikeouts.
Laila Spracklen started the nightcap for the Falcons and lasted 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs with seven strikeouts and seven walks. Weitze, whose hit and RBI in the sixth was the first of her career, pitched 3.1 innings and gave up no earned runs and struck out two batters against one walk.
The Falcons are next at Tabor College Saturday (Apr. 6) at 1 pm in Hillsboro, Kan.
