A pair of dominating pitching performances by Madelynn Collins and Cynae Wiley, coupled with sparkling defensive plays and timely hitting, suddenly have Allen Community College’s softball team riding high.
Collins pitched a complete game shutout, allowing just two hits while striking out seven to out-duel Fort Scott’s Chelsie Boydston, 1-0.
Then, Wiley tossed six scoreless innings, while ACC’s offense scored in each of the first five innings of a 6-1 romp to complete the sweep. It was Allen’s first sweep since playing Northern Oklahoma College-Enid on March 9.
After an extended losing streak, the Red Devils have now won three in a row and four of their last six.
It’s perhaps not a coincidence, head coach Nicole Peters said, that Allen’s improved play coincided with staying at home for much of the stretch. The Red Devils didn’t get to play their first game on their new artificial turf until April 24.
“The kids enjoy playing at home,” Peters said. “It’s definitely been nice, and it clicked today.”
Alayna Brown and Mikayla Long teamed up to give the Red Devils the only run they’d need in the bottom of the first. Brown led off with a single, moved to second on Bella Gravatt’s sacrifice bunt, and scored after Long’s infield single on the ninth pitch of her at bat.
Collins, meanwhile, was masterful. She deftly extinguished Fort Scott’s only true scoring chance in the fifth after the Greyhounds opened the inning with a walk and bunt single.
A bunt attempt failed to advance the runners, then Collins retired Fort Scott’s Olivia Chenowith and then struck out Kori Robinson to end the threat.
The game ended, fittingly enough on three dandy plays afield.
Allen right fielder Long snared a line drive for the first out in the seventh, Gravatt lunged to snare a pop fly into shallow right for out no. 2, and Wiley ended the game by running down Baylee Whinshunt’s flare into foul territory down the left field line.
Peters noted Allen’s pitchers benefit from air-tight defense, just as much as the defenders rely on the pitchers to work quickly and throw strikes.
“The pitchers were definitely hitting their spots, and the defense was playing well behind them. It definitely builds their confidence when the defense is playing so well.”
WILEY picked up the baton in the second game, shutting down Fort Scott’s first scoring opportunity in the first after a walk and single opened the frame. She left those runners on first and second with a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop, a pop fly to third and a fly ball to Howard.
And as she did in the opener, Brown got things rolling offensively in the finale with a single to start the first. She came around to score when Fort Scott misplayed Gravatt’s sacrifice bunt for a 1-0 lead.
Arisbei Black, Lauren Shafer and Howard all hit singles in consecutive plate appearances to score the second run in the second.
