Feb. 28 Central Methodist University Junior Varsity at Excelsior Springs, Missouri
The State Fair Community College (SFCC) Lady Roadrunners opened their 2020 campaign with a doubleheader sweep of Central Methodist University 21-3 and 16-7. The games were moved to Excelsior Springs High School because of wet field conditions.
SFCC crushed seven home runs in game one. Freshman corner infielder/outfielder Brooke Conner of Sweet Springs hit three home runs in her first three at-bats, in her first collegiate game. She finished the game with four hits, seven runs batted in, and four runs scored. Freshman second baseman Taylor Williams of Rogersville hit a pair of home runs and drove in four. Williams also scored four times. Sophomore outfielder/second baseman Reagan Hockett of Sedalia and freshman infielder/designated player Alexis Gililand of Jefferson City also hit home runs.
"It was nice for us to get the bats going early," said Lady Roadrunners Head Softball Coach Lyndsey Talbot. "In years past, we have kind of struggled to get the bats going to make the adjustments against slower pitching. It was good to see us not struggle with that in the first game of the season."
The offensive explosion provided plenty of support for the pitching staff. Sophomore pitcher/first baseman Alissa Collette of Springfield got the start and the win for SFCC. She pitched a five inning complete game, struck out three batters, allowed three runs; one earned.
In game two, freshman outfielder Haley Berhorst of Holt Summit and sophomore corner infielder Darby Christian of Sedalia each hit a home run. Christian also drove in four runs. Freshman middle infielder Summer Collier of Oak Grove drove in three runs. Conner drove in two runs, along with freshman first baseman/outfielder Reagan Barker of Lee's Summit.
Freshman pitcher/first baseman Aleah Paxton of Lincoln got the start and the victory in her first appearance at SFCC. She pitched four innings, giving up six runs, five of which were earned on seven hits, and she struck out five.
Feb. 29 Neosho County Community College and Independence Community College at Independence, Kansas
SFCC (3-1) split a split doubleheader against Neosho County Community College and Independence Community College. SFCC fell to Neosho 12-7 and bounced back to defeat Independence 8-5 in independence, Kansas.
In game one, Conner had two hits, including a home run, one RBI and one run scored. Hockett had a pair of hits and a pair of runs scored. Berhorst hit a home run, drove in two and scored twice. Williams added a double and two RBI.
Collette got the start, and the loss, in the circle for SFCC. She pitched 3 2/3 innings allowing nine runs, five earned.
Against Independence, Williams and Gililand hit home runs. Gililand also drove in three runs. Sophomore catcher Jordan Fischer of New Florence drove in a pair of runs. Williams and Conner scored a pair of runs in the come-from-behind victory.
"We were able to produce offensively," said Talbot. "We just need to find a way to hold our opponent scoreless in innings."
Sophomore pitcher/outfielder Abigail Rapp of King City got the start for SFCC and earned a no decision. Rapp pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and four runs. Paxton pitched 5 2/3 innings and picked up the win in relief, allowing three hits, one run and struck out five.
"I thought it was a pretty solid weekend for our first time on dirt since the fall," said Talbot. "We had some great play in the outfield that saved innings for us. We just need to continue to solidify our infield defense and our pitchers need to continue to get better at hitting their spots. Alexis hit two big home runs for us this weekend, one of them was in her first at-bat coming off a pretty traumatic injury last year. The second one was a go-ahead home run against Independence."
David Rohrbach
SFCC Athletics