Small ball wasn’t working for Allen County Community College’s Red Devils early in Sunday’s opener. They were getting base runners but not moving them around.
That was until the fourth inning. The Red Devils peppered visiting Hesston College with singles, bunts that turned into singles and before Hesston knew it, Allen County had scored five runs.
The Red Devils added three more runs in the fifth and the game was over. Allen County won 8-0 in the five-inning, run-ruled game.
That’s because freshman pitcher Lenzie Boring limited Hesston to just one hit and struck out 12.
The second game was a little tigher and went the distance. Allen County won 3-2 when Autumn Lamle hit a solo home run with one gone in the bottom of the sixth.
Sophomore pitcher Brianne Campbell and the Red Devils retired Hesston in order in the seventh. Campbell gave up two hits and struck out four for the win.
Allen County improved to 25-5 in NJCAA Region VI, Division 2 play and sit in third heading into the seedings for Region VI, Division 2 tournament play. Allen County will host a first-round playoff series, best two-out-of-three, this weekend.
The Red Devils are 38-20 overall. They finished 21-5 in Jayhawk Eastern Division action for third place.
Allen County and Hesston played Sunday because of rain on Saturday.
In the first game, Brandi Hutcheson was 3-for-3 with three singles. Shawna Blakesley had two doubles. Hitting a single each were Amy Carr, Jenna Sigg, Lamle, Callie Umholtz and Kylie Taylor.
In the second game, Hesston had scored a run in the second.
Allen County responded with two of its own in its half of the inning.
Chalice Schmollinger drew a walk and with one out Kelci Owens doubled. Blakesley’s double drove in both runs.
Hesston got a run in the fourth to tie the game at 2-2. Then came Lamle’s home run, her 11th of the season.
Blakesley had two doubles in the game. The other hit of the game was a double by Taylor.
Red Devils end regular season
