Now this is a fun way to end a losing streak. A rough start in the opener did in Allen. St. Louis led 9-0 after 1 1/2 innings before the Red Devils mounted a comeback. Gentry’s two-run double cut the deficit to 9-2 in the bottom of the third. SATURDAY FRIDAY ALLEN TRAVELS to Johnson County for a doubleheader Tuesday before returning home Thursday for a pair against Coffeyville.
Mackenzie Beck shut down visiting St. Louis Community College on four hits, Bailey Burnett blasted a two-run homer and Stormie Bush rapped out four hits as Allen Community College put a convincing end to a 21-game losing streak, winning 10-2.
The victory garnered the Red Devils a split against St. Louis, which won Sunday’s first game, 9-7.
Prior to Sunday, Allen lost twice Friday, 12-2 and 14-3 to Hutchinson, and twice more Saturday, 10-1 and 15-4 to Hesston.
“It felt good to get the win,” Allen head coach Jamie Amerine said. “We can finally breathe again. It’s like a weight’s been lifted off our shoulders.”
All the elements for a successful softball victory were in place by Sunday afternoon.
Allen overcame an early 2-0 deficit by scoring four in the bottom of the first. Burnett’s blast in the third pushed the lead to 6-2. The game ended when the Red Devils plated three in the bottom of the sixth, triggering the eight-run mercy rule.
“Mackenzie really did a nice job on the mound,” Amerine said. “Hopefully, this is something we can build from.”
Beck allowed four hits and struck out one with two walks. She rebounded nicely after an early Red Devil error led to a quick 2-0 St. Louis lead.
Bush’s run-scoring double in the bottom of the first kick-started the Allen offense. Burnett singled to drive in Bush and Jordan Barber smacked a two-run single through the right side for a 4-2 lead.
Bush singled to lead off the third before Burnett blasted the first pitch she saw over the right field fence, extending the lead to 6-2. Annie Gentry reached on an error and scored on Bush’s single in the bottom of the fourth.
A one-out, two-run single by Bush preceded a run-scoring ground ball by Burnett for the 10th and final run of the contest.
Allen batters tagged St. Louis pitcher Nicole Willie for 10 hits. Bush had three singles and a double. Burnett singled and homered. Shelby Maycumber doubled. Barber, Beck an Gentry had singles.
Another key to the win was Amerine’s insertion of Cassidy Reynolds at third base, where her defense provided a steadying influence on the struggling Red Devils.
“She really settled things down for us,” Amerine said.
Things got interesting in the fifth when the first four Allen batters reach on errors. Maycumber’s two-run single cut the gap to 9-6. Bush followed with a sac fly, for the first out of the inning.
But St. Louis starter Rebecca Vogt ended the rally with a ground ball and pop-up before Allen could complete the comeback.
Maycumber singled to open the bottom of the seventh, but she was gunned down at the plate while attempting to score on Bush’s double for the first out of the inning. Bush then followed suit, being called thrown out at home on Burnett’s ground ball. Vogt got Callie Beene to pop out to shortstop to end the threat.
Marissa Luna took the loss, allowing four hits and one earned run in 1 1/3 innings. Beck allowed six hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings. She struck out two and walked two.
Bush went 2-for-3 with a double. Bush singled twice, as did Maycumber. Gentry chipped in with a double. Erika King and Burnett had singles.
“I thought we did some good things in the first game,” Amerine said. “We just came up short.”
Hesston 10, Allen 1
Hesston 15, Allen 4
Hesston’s Cheyenne Cherubini limited Allen to three hits in the opener, while Allen’s Emily England allowed 11 hits in six innings of work. Gentry, Maycumber and Burnett had singles for the Red Devils.
Hesston scored six in the second and seven in the sixth to take control of the second game. Burnett had two hits, including a triple for Allen. Bush, L’Orien Pacheco, Beene, Kayla Bourgeois and Barber added singles. England took the loss, allowed three earned runs in six innings. She gave up 18 hits.
Hutchinson 12, Allen 2
Hutchinson 14, Allen 3
Hutchinson led 6-0 in the opener before Allen struck for two in the third, courtesy of Barber’s RBI single and Gentry’s sacrifice bunt. Bush, Marissa Luna, King and Gentry also had singles for the Red Devils.
Hutchinson scored six in both the first and second innings to take control of game 2.
The lead was 14-0 before Allen struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Beene led off with a triple and scored on Burnett’s single. Bourgeois and Shayla Stephens followed with singles for another run. Bush hit a sac fly to score Bourgeois for the final run of the contest. Bush and Gentry also had singles for Allen.
Red Devils pick up 10-2 win over St. Louis
