Shawnee, Okla. —The Friends University Falcons came out on top in two games today (Feb. 21) at the NAIA SB Invite at Firelake Ball Fields in Shawnee, Okla. The Falcons took down the Bellevue University Bruins 9-1 in the first game by the run rule and then stormed back to slip by the Oklahoma Panhandle State University Aggies 5-4 in the second tilt.
In the opening game,
Cambell Riordan stayed hot and doubled down the left field line to drive in two runs as
Cadence Magana and
Tamara Lozoya crossed the plate.
Chloe Enslinger followed with a double down the right field line, bringing Riordan home.
Raeleen Hernandez grounded out but advanced Enslinger to third, who then scored on a dropped fly ball to put the Falcons on top 4-0.
In the second inning, Lozoya reached on an error and later scored on a single by Enslinger. Riordan then scored on a single from Hernandez, and Enslinger crossed home on a throwing error. Hernandez scored on a double by
Regan Witt to increase the lead to 8-0 after two innings.
Riordan continued her offensive onslaught with another double that scored Magana in the third to make it 9-0.
Bellevue managed to score in the fourth inning when Kaitlyn Fisher doubled and was driven in by Marguerite Brown's single, but the Falcons didn't allow the Bruins to come any closer.
Riordan finished with three RBIs and scored a pair of runs, with Enslinger adding two hits with two RBIs and two runs scored. Lozoya scored two runs and stole a base.
Jenna Ormiston was effective on the mound and pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on four hits with two strikeouts over five innings
Fisher went 2-of-2 at the plate for the Bruins.
The Falcons had to rally back in the second game as the Aggies got RBI singles from Haeley Vasquez and Summer Marron in the first inning before scoring two unearned runs in the second for a 4-0 lead.
But who better to respond for the Falcons than Riordan, who drilled a three-run homer to left center to bring home Magana and
Mekenzi Humphers and close the gap to 4-3.
In the fifth inning, the Falcons tied the game at 4-4 as Riordan doubled and scored on a groundout by
Raeleen Hernandez. Friends then grabbed the lead for the first time when pinch runner
Keara Cunningham scored on a single by
Regan Witt for the go-ahead tally in the top of the sixth.
Ezra Arredondo then got a double play with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to halt the Aggies' late threat and allow the Falcons to hang on for the comeback victory.
Riordan had another powerful performance with four hits, including a home run and a double, while driving in three runs. Humphers reached base twice, scoring one run and stealing a base.
Arredondo settled in nicely after the first two innings and blanked the Aggies over the final four innings with four strikeouts for the complete game win.
Marron had two hits and Dang-Gutierrez had three stolen bases for OPSU.
The Falcons, now 7-5 on the season, will wrap up play at the NAIA SB Invite tomorrow (Feb. 22) vs. No. 11-ranked Midland University at 10 am.
