Great Bend, Kan. – The Friends University Softball Falcons were tripped up in heartbreaking fashion in an epic pitching duel to the top-seeded Evangel University Valor today (May 3) at the Great Bend Sports Complex in Great Bend, Kan.
The Falcons came into the day needing just one win to clinch their third tournament championship in the last six years, but ran into a sterling pitching performance from Ashland Diggs in the first game. Diggs allowed just one run over seven innings with five strikeouts and no walks in a complete game win.
It was a 1-0 Valor lead when a pair of two-run singles by Naomi Perkins and Ellie Facklam fueled a six-run sixth inning that broke the game open.
Kenna Mayfield had three hits for Evangel in the first game win.
That set the stage for a winner take all championship game, started by unanimous first-team all-conference selection and KCAC Newcomer of the Year Riley Wertz for the Falcons. Making the start for Evangel was first-team reliever Madi Bentley, who more than justified earning just her sixth start of the season.
Wertz went all 11.1 innings in a valiant effort, striking out seven, walking three and keeping the Valor off the board until a safety squeeze bunt by Mayfield with one out in the bottom of the 12th brought home pinch runner Autumn Nold for the walk-off win.
Prior to that, a lot of twists and turns occurred with both teams having multiple chances to break through and win the game.
In the seventh and eighth innings, Wertz got strikeouts to end each frame and strand a combined three runners on base.
Then in the 11th, the Valor had runners at the corners with two outs when Lauren Dill hit a grounder that Jayden Estabrook dove and flipped to shortstop Fallyn Marshall to just get Megan Stone out at second to extend the game to the 12th.
In the bottom of the 12th, pinch hitter Riley Johannes singled to lead off the inning before a successful sacrifice bunt by Danielle Cutbirth was followed by a throwing error that gave the Valor runners at second and third to set up Mayfield's game winning bunt.
The Falcons also had plenty of opportunities, leaving eight runners on base over the final six innings and 16 overall.
In potentially her final game as a Falcon, Vanessa Sigala went 4-of-6 and secured the Falcons' only extra base of the night.
Bentley pitched the first five innings for Evangel and struck out three with three hits allowed before giving way to KCAC Pitcher of the Year Maddy Meierer. Meierer continued the classic pitching duel with Wertz and tossed the final seven shutout innings while striking out seven, walking none and scattering nine hits.
Carolyn Dallimore and Laila Spracklen each had two hits for Friends in the second game, with Facklam and Stone each recording two hits for Evangel (36-8).
The Falcons, now 34-17 overall, had entered the day with 14 straight victories and hadn't lost since Apr. 6.
