OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – The Johnson County softball team went 3-1 in conference play last week, taking both games at Hesston then split with No. 8-ranked Labette.
JCCC nearly got a sweep over the Cardinals. The Lady Cavaliers led 4-3 in the top of the seventh, but Labette managed to plate two runs and hold on for a 5-4 win, and remain ahead of JCCC for first place in the conference standings.
In the series with Hesston, Johnson County opened with 17-7 victory. The Lady Cavaliers ripped 16 hits, which included five doubles and home run.
Freshman first baseman Kaylin Watkins was 3-for-4, with two doubles and four RBI. Freshman right-fielder Katie Enneking was 3-for-3 with four runs scored and three driven in. Freshman center fielder Emma Martin had three hits with two doubles and three RBI. Freshman DP Aubrey Griffith had a home run and two RBI. Freshman shortstop Macey Nigh drove in two and freshman leftfielder Haley Puccio ripped two doubles and drove in one run.
Kyla Etter picked up her 10th win, and AJ Elleman earned her first save.
In the second game, Watkins again had the big bat, collecting a single and home run for four RBI in a 15-2 win. Enneking belted a triple and drove in three and freshman catcher Emma Stanwix went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI.
Watkins was also the winning pitcher, allowing two runs off five hits with three strikeouts.
Etter came up big in the circle in the opening game against Labette. She held the Cardinal hitters to just four hits and one unearned run with five strikeouts to up her season mark to 11-4.
At the plate, Griffith had the big blow with a two-run homer. Freshman catcher Harlee Walker also drove in two runs.
In the final game, Watkins hit a two-run shot to put JCCC on top, and Griffith had two hits and an RBI.
Johnson County (25-13) will close out its regular season with a double-header at Kansas City Kansas (37-11) on Saturday, May 8. The first game is scheduled to begin at noon.