Lady Hawks win both games in Double Header
Thursday the Western Nebraska Cougars made the Howard College Lady Hawks work harder for a win, especially in game one of a double header at Foundation Field. They Lady Hawks rallied and then held off the Cougars 8-7.
In the second game it was much like Wednesday's games. Howard pitching dominated in a 10-1 win, pushing Howard's record to 6-2.
In game one it was clutch pitching by Kylie Gaffney who helped Howard prevail. Gaffey relieved starter Cassie Elliott in the fourth with Howard trailing 4-0. Gaffney went the rest of the game and got out of trouble in the seventh inning to preserve the win.
With Howard leading 8-7 in the top of the seventh, Western Nebraska's Mackenzie Bakel reached second base on an error by the third baseman. Gaffney retired Demirae Woolsley and then hit Chloe Conquist with a pitch. Macy Hartman popped out to the second baseman in foul territory, allowing Bakel to tag up and advance to third with two outs.
Western Nebraska then went to pinch hitter Bella Mumford to try to get in the tying run. Gaffney ended the game by catching Mumford looking at a called third strike with a changeup.
The Cougars struck first in the second inning with four runs. Bakel hit a two-run double in the inning. HC got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Christabelle Aguirre singled in Samantha Cervantes.
Howard edged closer in the third inning scoring two more runs. Vargas and Cervantes had run scoring hits, cutting the lead to 4-3. Vargas and Cervantes had big games for Howard combining to drive in six runs. Vargas went 3-for-4 t the plate with four RBI.
Howard took a 6-4 lead in the fifth, scoring three runs via hits by Oliva Kuzminski, Addison Marquez and Vargas. Vargas' triple scored two runs.
Western Nebraska touched Gaffney for three runs in the sixth to regain the lead 7-6. Klien drove in two runs with a base hit.
In the bottom of the inning the Lady Hawks clawed back with two runs of their own, reclaiming the lead. Sasha Willems singled in Madison Dingman and Vargas singled in Willems for what turned out to be the winning run.
In game two Howard rode the four-hit pitching of Alicia Estrada to run rule the Cougars in six. Estrada, freshman from Oxnard, Ca., fanned six Cougars.
Howard broke the game open by scoring five runs in the sixth inning thanks to RBI hits by Briana Sibrian, Ariana Soto, Vargas and Cervantes. Vargas got the Lady Hawks started with a solo homer in the second inning.
Howard will be back in action February 15 when they host Dodge City, Ks. in a doubleheader at Foundation Field.
Game one
WN 130-003-0 - 7-9-3
Howard 012-032-x - 8-10-1
WP - Gaffney, LP - Mcmillian, LOB - WN 9, HC 5; 2B - WN (Bakel, Hanafin), HC (Willems, Vargas, Cervantes, Marquez, Cottell), 3B - WN (Woolsey); HC (Vargas); SB - (Cronquist 1); HC (Dingman 3).