'Hounds sweep weekend series, gain 30th victory

Fort Scott pitcher Brittny Washington throws a pitch to a Brown Mackie batter during the second game of a doubleheader at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex Saturday afternoon as shortstop Paige Colborn anticipates the play. Washington didn't allow a hit in three innings of work in a 14-0 victory. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

Saturday afternoon, Fort Scott Community College's softball team guaranteed itself the opportunity to host a first-round series in the upcoming Region Division II post-season tournament this coming weekend by sweeping Brown Mackie College 5-0, 14-0 in a doubleheader at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex.

Sunday, the Greyhounds went to Hesston College and posted a 9-1, 5-2 sweep, the second game giving the program what is believed to be the first 30-victory season in school history.

The 16 teams which compete at the Division II level in Region VI will be split into two brackets based on seeding. The winner of each bracket will advance to the national tournament. If there are no major shake-ups this week, Fort Scott will be the No. 4 seed, playing in "Bracket D" against Coffeyville. The first two games of the series are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. (tentatively) Saturday. If a third game was needed, it would be held Sunday.

Fort Scott sophomore Keegan Cronin takes a Brown Mackie pitch to right field during a sixth-inning at-bat Saturday at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex. The hit drove in Kelly Shay and Cronin later scored on a Chelsie Kibbe groundout. (Tribune photo/Scott Nuzum)

"I'm excited about the way we have things set up this year," Fort Scott head coach Lauren Sigwing said. "In the past, we've done the cross-overs. This year, it was nice to see those teams like Cloud County, Dodge City and Brown Mackie twice instead of once at a cross-over.

"The home playoff series format gives you something more to aim for. It's kind of a nice reward."

The Greyhounds (21-9 in district seeding, 30-21 overall) have only a non-district doubleheader versus Cottey at Nevada today remaining on their regular-season schedule. They are actually the only team that has played all its district games. The other teams have between two and six games to play.

Early-morning rain brought about a desperate effort to beat Mother Nature and get these games played. Add in that this was Sophomore Day and the players probably would not have been blamed if they had trouble focusing on the games. However, that proved not to be the case.

"I think they were pretty focused," Sigwing said. "With the rain, we weren't sure if we were going to play. Then they had to do a bunch of work on the field. We had to push the game back (two hours) and we had a short warm-up. That stuff might have been a distraction. But once the games started, they got focused and stayed focused."

Brown Mackie (0-28, 0-37) hasn't won a game this season, mostly because of a lack of good pitching. The Lions' starting pitchers lasted a combined total of 2 1/3 innings.

Fort Scott's first run of the day scored when Paige Colburn reached base on a bunt single, stole second and third and scored on a Chelsie Kibbe groundout.

In the third inning, Fort Scott added two runs as Kibbe scored on a fielder's choice and Hannah Somers came in on a wild pitch.

With the 'Hounds up 3-0, Shay drew a walk to lead off the sixth, then stole second. Keegan Cronin came up to pinch hit and took an outside pitch the opposite way to right field to bring in Shay. Emily True singled and Kibbe's groundout brought Cronin in with the final run.

Pitcher Lindsay Boham held Brown Mackie to three hits and one walk while striking out six. The Lions never had more than one runner on base at any time.

Colburn went three for three at the plate for the Greyhounds, who had eight hits as a team.

The second game started with an 11-run first inning as the 'Hounds chased Brown Mackie's starting pitcher after eight batters.

Sarah Doyle led off by drawing a walk, then stealing second. Colburn beat a wild throw to first on a bunt, allowing Doyle to score. Colburn took off for third when True walked and scored on an error. True advanced to third on another error and scored when Kibbe beat out a base hit and moved to second on another error.

Somers then lined a shot off Brown Mackie's pitcher, who stayed in despite it. Tamalei Good grounded out but that allowed Kibbe to come in, making it 4-0.

Barbara Zernick singled to bring home Somers. Then Meagan Bliss walked before Brown Mackie changed pitchers.

The next batter struck out but Doyle singled again to bring in Zernick. Colburn doubled to plate Bliss and Doyle. True brought in Colburn with another double and Kibbe capped the scoring with a two-run homer to left.

Two more runs went up in the second as Doyle's double scored Bliss and Colburn brought in Samantha Padgett, who was pinch running after Shay was injured trying to get to third on Doyle's hit.

The last run went up in the third. Somers led off the inning with a double, moved to second on an error and scored on a wild pitch.

Kibbe and Colburn had three hits each while Doyle and Somers had two.

Brittny Washington allowed only one runner to reach base -- on a walk -- in the three innings she pitched while striking out five. Marie Crowley allowed two hits in the final two innings as the 14-run margin caused the run rule to stop the game after five innings.

"I was really pleased," Sigwing said. "We've struggled with the slower pitching all season. We finally made good adjustments today. We were seeing the ball and waiting and going with the pitch. Everybody got a chance and everybody did a great job."

Details from Hesston were not available in time to make today's edition.

NOTES -- The Greyhounds turned a double play in each game. It was a 5-3-4 double play in the opener while a 6-3 twin killing closed out the second game....

The Tribune inadvertently omitted the linescores from Friday's sweep of Cloud County from Saturday's Herald-Tribune. They are included with Sunday's linescores below....

Fort Scott won't finish higher than the No. 4 position as the two teams ahead of the Greyhounds, Pratt and Johnson County can't finish with as many losses (both are 19-5 for seeding and have two games left). However, the Greyhounds did split with Pratt, which is No. 12 in the NJCAA Division II poll, and swept Johnson County at Overland Park in the regular season....

Highland and Allen County are both 18-8 in district games and could pass the Greyhounds. That could drop Fort Scott as low as No. 6. However, the 'Hounds can't fall any lower than that as No. 7 Labette has 12 losses....

Seeds 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 13 and 16 will play in the District D tournament. The others will play in the District E Tournament.....

Cowley is in the driver's seat for the No. 1 seed with a 24-0 record. All the Tigers have to do to keep that is win two of their remaining six games. Meanwhile, Johnson County holds the tie-breaker over Pratt, so the Beavers would have to have some help in order to earn the top position in the District E bracket....

Friday's Games

Fort Scott...... 010 501 x -- 7 9 0

WP -- Boham. LP -- Douglas.

HR -- Fort Scott: Somers (4th inn., two on, none out).

Game Two

Fort Scott...... 040 130 x -- 8 9 1

WP -- Washington. LP --Pieser. Sv. -- Boham.

HR -- none

Saturday's Games

Fort Scott...... 102 002 x -- 5 8 0

WP --Boham. -- LP -- Cotton.

HR -- none.

Game Two

Fort Scott. (11)21 0xx x -- 14 12 0

WP -- Washington. LP -- Everett.

HR -- Fort Scott: Kibbe (1st inn, one on, two out).