OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – After suffering a disappointing sweep by Kansas City Kansas a week ago, the 20th-ranked Johnson County softball team rebounded with a home sweep over Fort Scott and a road sweep over Allen over the weekend. The four wins ups JCCC's overall mark to 18-10 and they improve to 14-4 in conference play.
The Lady Cavaliers opened the two-game series with the Greyhounds with a five-inning 14-2 win, followed by a six-inning 11-3 victory. Johnson County won the two games at Allen by the scores of 6-1 and 10-9.
In the opener, freshman Kaylin Watkins got JCCC's offense rolling with a three-run blast in the bottom of the first inning. She added a solo shot in the bottom of the fourth, setting new game highs for RBI and home runs in a game.
Freshman Emma Baldwin hit a two-run double in the second, and drove in a third run in the third.
Freshman Jordan Diehl also picked up three RBI in the game. She ripped an RBI triple in the third, and drove in two runs with a single in the fourth.
In the second game, the top of the order came up big. They accounted for nine of the team's 11 hits, 11 of the team's 12 RBI and nine of their 12 runs scored.
Watkins also picked up the win the circle to even her record at 4-4. She allowed just two runs off five and struck out five. Freshman Autumn Metcalf pitched the final inning to pick up her second save.
Like the first game, a home run got JCCC off to a strong start, this time off the bat of freshman Katie Enneking. Her two-run blast over the left field fence gave JCCC a 2-1 lead.
Fort Scott tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the third, but Watkins belted a two-run shot over center field.
The Lady Cavaliers put the game out of reach in the fourth plating six runs. Freshman Emma Stanwix hit an RBI double. Sophomore Nia Thomas hit a bases clearing triple, followed by another two-run homer by Enneking.
Freshman Aubrey Griffith ended the game with a two-run triple in the sixth.
Freshman pitcher Morgan Lindsay picked up her second win of the season. She allowed three runs, two earned, off seven hits. She struck out six batters.
In the opening game at Allen, Griffith and Stanwix had the two big hits for the Lady Cavaliers. Griffith drove in two runs with a double in the top of the fifth, and Stanwix cleared the center field fence for a two-run shot in the top of the sixth.
Freshman Kyla Etter earned the complete-game victory, allowing just one run off four hits over seven innings. She also struck out four batters.
In the series final game, JCCC had to hang on to get the 10-9 victory. The Lady Cavaliers led 10-6 when Allen came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth, but the Red Devils managed three runs to make it interesting.
Johnson County's big inning was the top of the second, plating six runs. Enneking and Stanwix each hit two-run homers. Freshman Macey Nigh hit a solo shot and Watkins had a RBI double.
In the third, Watkins got her second RBI double of the game, and she closed out the four-game weekend batting .636 (7-for-11) with two doubles, three home runs, nine runs scored and eight driven in.
Griffith's two-run single in the top of the sixth proved to be game winning RBI.
Freshman AJ Elleman got the win, improving to 5-2, and Watkins earned the save, her first of the season.
Johnson County travels to Arkansas City, Kan., Thursday, April 22 for a double header with Cowley (26-10/14-4), followed by a home double header against Coffeyville (5-19/4-12) on Saturday, April 24. First pitch is at 1 p.m.