'Hound softball splits with Labette

A split with fourth-place Labette kept Fort Scott Community College's softball team in the hunt for a first-round home series in the upcoming Region VI Division II post-season tournament.

Labette won the opener 3-1 but Fort Scott took the second game 5-2 to remain tied for the 10th position in post-season seeding with Cloud County.

The top eight finishers among the 16 Division II teams in Kansas -- all 14 teams in the Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division plus Brown Mackie and Highland -- earn the first-round home series.

The Greyhounds (9-15 in district play, 7-15 in the conference and 11-19 overall) have a chance to move up into ninth by themselves if they can sweep Coffeyville (9-13, the current ninth-place team) in a doubleheader that begins at 2 p.m. at the BRW.

Fort Scott holds quite a bit of control over its own destiny as they also face Cloud County (9-15) in a doubleheader that will be held Friday at Concordia. Saturday, they wrap up district play with a doubleheader at Brown Mackie (6-12).

The 'Hounds continued the pattern of their previous two doubleheaders, losing the first game but winning the second.

Game one was tied 0-0 after four innings. Labette (17-9 district, 15-9 conference, 26-21 overall) got on the board in the fifth with a 2-run home run from Gabrielle Rodriguez. They added the third run in the sixth as Rodriguez lifted a sacrifice fly to score Cardinal pitcher Tara Mitchell, giving the batter all 3 Labette RBIs.

Mitchell struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh. But 'Hound shortstop Paige Colborn kept Fort Scott alive by reaching second after Labette's right fielder misplayed her single. Courtney Borland singled to left to score Colborn. But Mitchell got a fly ball out to right field to end the game.

Colborn had 2 of Fort Scott's 6 hits. Mitchell walked 2 batters while striking out 10.

Chelsey Rottinghaus was 2 for 3 for Labette. Fort Scott pitcher Cassie Sharon allowed only 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 5.

The Greyhounds scored early in the second game and were able to make it hold up. The first run went up in the first as Borland reached when Labette misplayed her bunt. Marie Crowley was hit by a pitch and Sharon drew a walk to load the bases. Pitcher Brittny Washington then gave herself the lead when her fielder's choice allowed Borland to score.

Megan Barrager tripled with 2 out in the second inning and scored on Colborn's double. Colborn reached third when Labette's second baseman dropped the throw back to the infield and scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.

Washington didn't allow a hit until the top of the fourth. But Labette got to her for a run on two hits and an error in the fifth.

Borland led off the bottom of the fifth and singled to left. Labette's right fielder misplayed the ball, allowing Borland to get to second. Crowley bunted and reached on an error, which also allowed Borland to get to third. Washington's grounder to second brought Borland in to make it a 4-1 lead.

Fort Scott added its final run in the sixth. Brittney Boyd singled to lead off the inning and Aubrie Duval bunted her over to second. After a fly out, Colborn kept the inning alive with a single and Borland's fielder's choice, which resulted in a bad throw by the third baseman, allowed Boyd to score.

Labette got one run in the top of the seventh without the aid of a hit as Washington hit consecutive batters and the 'Hounds committed an error. But a popup to Jamie Collins at first base ended the game.

Colborn was 2 for 4 for the 'Hounds in the game. No one had more than one hit for Labette.

Washington allowed one earned run on 4 hits, one walk and the 4 hit batters but also struck out 4.

Game One

WP -- Mitchell. LP -- Sharon.

HR -- Labette: Rodriguez (5th inn., one on, one out).

Game Two

WP -- Washington. LP -- Temple.

HR -- None.