A double header originally scheduled to be played at MCC on April, 27 was moved to Southeastern due to expected weather conditions. The games were played on April, 29 with MCC still acting as the home team and batting in the bottom half of each inning. The matchup with the Blackhawks were the last regular season games for the Tigers.
Game 1
Game one got out of hand early for the Tigers.
By the time MCC got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Blackhawks had put ten runs on the board. Of the ten, eight were earned.
The Tigers worked to get back into the game in the home half of the fourth. After the first two batters on the frame were retired, Nell Skeath, DJ Schmidt, and AnnaMarie Armstrong drew three consecutive walks to load the bases. With two outs and a full count, Kaylee Hanks delivered out of the nine hole with a bases clearing triple. Saydee Terrell then grounded out 5-3 to end the inning, but the Tigers had pulled to within seven runs.
Southeastern put more separation between themselves and MCC in the top of the fifth. In the fifth, the visitors on the scoreboard added ten runs on six hits, two walks and a pair of errors. The inning was highlighted by a two out grand slam by Chayse Lowney to make the score 20-3 before the Tigers could record their third out.
Needing ten runs to extend the game passed five innings, the Tigers were only able to score one as Nicolette Dabbs hit a solo shot to make the final score 20-4 in game one.
Game one featured sloppy play from the Tigers as nine of the twenty Blackhawk runs were unearned. In the five inning game, Ashley Tennant walked eight batters and the Tigers committed six errors. Comparatively, Lara Pence walked three batter and hit two others while the Southeastern defense didn't commit any errors behind her.
Game 2
Looking to avenge their game one loss, the MCC pitching and defense got off to a solid start in the top of the first inning as they allowed just one baserunner as Heather Geiger led the game off by drawing a walk. The defense then made three consecutive clean plays in the field to retire Shelby Smith, Ashley Rosado, and Lowney to escape the inning without giving up a run despite the leadoff walk.
Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn't get on the board in the home half of the second after Aliyah Scott put herself in scoring position with one out. The next batter, Ashley Tennant flew out to center field and Scott was thrown out attempting to tag up.
The game moved to the second inning scoreless, but that didn't last for long. In the top of the second inning, the first twelve Blackhawk batters each reached base safely en route to a big inning. The Blackhawks took advantage of some control issues from Saydee Terrell and an error by Kaylee Hanks. Southeastern went on to score nine runs in the top of the second to open the game up.
MCC was never able to get back in the game. They scored a single run in the second on a homerun by Nicolette Dabbs, one run in the third as AnnaMarie Armstrong scored after being walked, and their final run came in the fifth on a solo shot by Ashley Tennant.
Meanwhile the SCC offense kept rolling. They added four runs in the third, eight runs in the fourth, and two in the fifth. For the game, the Blackhawks hit .576 and earned eleven free bases via walk or HBP.
The two teams may face off again in the Region XI Tournament. If they do, the Tigers will look to get their revenge when it matters the most.
