HUNTSVILLE, Ala. - The Kentucky Wesleyan College softball team picked-up its first two wins of the season on Friday afternoon. The Panthers needed extra frames to defeat McKendree 5-4 on the second day of the Charger Chill-out. In the night-cap Wesleyan took down Miles College 6-1.
Game One: KWC 5 - McK 4 (9INN)
The Panthers (2-2) jumped on the board early with three runs in the top of the first inning. The table was set for Jaylin Tidwell who drove in the game's first run with a double into the left field corner. Lexie Mullen followed with a triple into right as her shot road the wind over the defense and to the base of the wall.
Wesleyan added another run after a throwing error that prolonged the inning. The Bearcats (0-1), looked to answer on numerous occasion, but Evyn Hendrickson kept runners stranded in scoring position throughout. McKendree managed to score an unearned run in the bottom of the third. Hendrickson left the bases loaded and marched into the seventh with a 4-1 lead.
Wesleyan manufactured a run in the top of the seventh after back-to-back bunts to lead off the inning. Tidwell moved the runners into scoring position with another bunt while Mullen drove in a run with a sacrifice fly.
A lead-off walk in the bottom half was the lone inning where Hendrickson could not hold the runners from scoring. The Bearcats scored three times to tie the game as Autumn Grady could not get the final out before the tying run scored.
Both sides left runner in scoring position in the eighth as Hendrickson re-entered the game in to strike-out Sara Radae to end the inning. With two-outs in the top of the ninth, Tidwell lined a single into right to drive in the winning run. Hendrickson took care of business in the bottom half with two runners on and no-outs, she produced back-to-back strikeouts to end the game following a pop-up bunt that was caught by Andee Powell.
Hendrickson picked-up the win with 7.1 innings of work, allowing four runs on eight hits. She struck-out 13 against eight walks. Tidwell was two for three with a double and two RBIs.
Game Two: KWC 6 - MILES 1
The Panthers followed the same script to start the second contest of the day against Miles (0-8). Mullen pushed the first run across with a sacrifice fly while Powell's first inning double gave Wesleyan a 2-0 lead. The lead grew to 3-0 after an error allowed another tally in the second.
The Bears loaded the bases in the bottom half of the second with bunts and stolen bases. However, they could only score one run as Maci Brown pitched out of the jam. Brown went the distance to earn her first win of the season. She allowed one run on six hits while striking-out six.
Abbey Winstead extended the Panthers' lead in the fifth. With two outs and two runners on in the frame, Winstead hit a sinking line-drive into right-center that found the turf, scoring two more runs.
Powell finished the game two for two with a double, run scored, and RBI. Winstead finished two for four with two RBIs.
The Panthers will travel to Nashville, Tennessee on Saturday for two games at the Music City Invitational hosted by Trevecca Nazarene. Wesleyan will play Missouri Science and Technology and Bellarmine with the first pitch scheduled for 1PM CT.
Stay up to date on all your Panther news by following @KWCpanthers on Twitter and by liking the "Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics" Facebook page.
