CHANUTE — Camrynn Yardley was dominant on the pitcher’s circle and Hayley Gerberding hit a tie-breaking home run in the third inning as Allen Community College defeated rival Neosho County 5-1 on the softball diamond Saturday.
The victory salvaged a doubleheader split for the Red Devils, who had plenty of hits in the opener, but had nothing to show for it in a 5-0 loss.
With the split, Allen remains at .500 in the Jayhawk Conference at 7-7 (16-22 overall) with a Thursday doubleheader at Kansas City Kansas next on the schedule.
Allen had runners aplenty over the first five innings of Game 1, but went a combined 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position against Neosho County starter Eleanor Rick, who pitched a complete-game shutout.
The Panthers, conversely, took advantage of an error, three walks and a pair of singles to lead 3-0 after the first inning and never looked back.
Allen right fielder Kylar Smith had a pair of singles. Brooklyn Goehring, Gerberding, Jena Hendrix, Madisyn Havenstein, Yardley and Ashley Tribble each had singles.
Morgan Collins pitched three innings, allowing six hits with a strikeout. Abby Marsh pitched the final three innings, allowing two hits.
BAILEE Campbell didn’t need to wait for a big hit in Game 2. She reached base on a single and moved to second on an error. She stole third, and then scampered home on another error by the Panthers for a 1-0 lead.
Neosho’s Caitlyn Myers homered in the second to tie the score, before Gerberding’s solo blast with two outs in the third pushed Allen back ahead for good.
Marsh singled in the top of the fourth to make it 3-1. Goehring’s RBI single and a Panther fielding error plated two more runs later in the frame.
Yardley took it from there, working around a leadoff single and walk in the bottom of the sixth before retiring the final six Neosho County batters in order.
She allowed four hits over seven innings, striking out nine.
Gerberding’s home run was Allen’s only extra-base hit. Campbell singled twice. Goehring, Hendrix and Marsh each added singles.
