Following a non-conference rendezvous Monday, the Allen Red Devils jump back into Jayhawk Conference action on a three-game winning streak after sweeping the Missouri State West Plains Grizzlies 6-1 and 10-9.
The Red Devils will need all the momentum they can get as they head into Thursday’s doubleheader against Cowley County Community College (31-11, 13-1), who sits atop the Jayhawk Conference standings.
“It went well. West Plains was definitely a different team the second time we played them,” Allen coach Nicole Peters said. “We strung hits together and answered back every time they scored. Collectively, we played really well.”
In the opener, sophomore pitcher Camrynn Yardley put Allen on the scoreboard with an RBI single with sophomore outfielder Kennedy Mead scoring on a wild pitch to wrap up the first inning. The Red Devils added three more runs in the fourth inning on RBIs from sophomore outfielder Kaylee Spreer, freshman catcher Makayla Hirschmann and sophomore shortstop Bailee Campbell.
Allen added an insurance run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by freshman pinch-hitter Tayrn Billings to seal the 6-1 victory. Yardley wrapped up the opener with a complete-game victory with 10 strikeouts while allowing only three walks.
Although not on the mound in the finale, Yardley remained impactful. She tied Campbell and sophomore second baseman Paxton Meyer for the team lead in RBIs with two each. Mead drove in the game-winner on a walk-off single.
With freshman outfielder Ella McCammon not playing, “Mead stepped in the No. 2 spot and did what she needed to do. That’s for sure,” Peters said. 
Meyer got the Red Devils started. She tied the game 2-2 in the first frame on a blooping RBI double with sophomore first baseman Jena Hendrix scoring on the ensuing throw to the plate. Allen built a 5-2 lead on RBIs from Campbell, Mead and Yardley, but every time the Red Devils tried to put the game away the Grizzlies found a way to claw back into contention.
The Grizzlies tied the game on a three-run homer by freshman outfielder Camryn Elliot, then Elliot gave the Grizzlies a 7-5 lead on a fourth inning sacrifice fly.
A Campbell double in the fifth gave Allen the lead before a Yardley sacrifice fly made it a 9-7 advantage.
Following a game-tying, seventh-inning homer, the Grizzlies flirted with going into extra innings. However, the Red Devils denied their advances with Campbell reaching base on a double, then getting into scoring position on a Mead single before reaching home on Yardley’s shot to center field.
“We were trying to get some feel-good games,” Peters said. “We’re a little tired, so I’m hoping to give them a day off so we can be ready for Cowley on Thursday. We’ve had some kids injured, come back and get injured, some it’s been in and out and we’ve been playing with the lineup a little bit.”
Freshman pitcher Kirstyn Busby picked up the victory while tallying a strikeout and two walks. The Red Devils improve to 19-22. They head to Cowley Thursday, then host Johnson County Community College (24-13, 11-3) for a Saturday doubleheader. First pitches for Thursday’s doubleheader are 2 and 4 p.m. First pitches for Saturday’s doubleheader are 1 and 3 p.m.
