Tonganoxie High softball sweeps Jeff West
Shawn Linenberger
Tonganoxie High softball got back in the win column with a doubleheader sweep of Jeff West on Monday in Meriden.
THS won a pitchers’ duel, 2-1, in the first game and then outslugged the Tigers in the second game.
Tonganoxie jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning, but Jeff West answered with 6 runs of its own in the bottom of the first. There was only one inning in which neither team scored and that was the fourth, though from there on out, it was all Tonganoxie.
The teams were tied, 8-8, going into the fifth, but Tonganoxie erupted for 3 runs in the fifth, 2 in the sixth and 3 in the seventh as the Chieftains eventually won, 16-8. Both teams had some troubles defensively, as Tonganoxie had 7 errors and Jeff West 10 in the second game.
Kylie Vandervoort and Santi Garcia each had 3 hits for the Chieftains. Garcia also had 3 RBI and 2 runs. Vandervoort had 6 runs and 1 walk. In total, six different Chieftains had at least one hit and six different Chieftains each had a walk.
Abigail Calrkson had a double, while Lali Tanner and Garcia each had a triple. Jordyn Vorbeck was hit by a pitch twice in the victory. Tonganoxie left 12 on base, while Jeff West left 11.
Tanner pitched 7 innings, given g up 6 hits and 8 runs, with only one of those runs being earned. She also had 5 strikeouts and 5 walks.
In the first game, Tonganoxie scored in the first inning and added another in the sixth before holding off a Jef West rally in the seventh. The Tigers score once, but couldn’t tie the game and the Chieftains won, 2-1.
Savannah Booker and M. Herrera had 2 RBI, while Garcia had 2 hits.
Sage Isaacs pitched 6 innings, giving up 1 run and striking out 8 JWHS batters. She also yielded 7 walks.
Tanner gave up 2 hits an and earned run in an inning of relief.She also had 2 strikeouts and 2 walks.
The victories moved Tonganoxie to 11-7 on the season, but will have a tough doubleheader Thursday in the final day of the regular season for the Chieftains.
Tonganoxie faces Frontier League foe Spring Hill, which is 14-1 on the year and is the No. 2 seed in the Class 5A East Bracket. The game was rescheduled due to inclement weather.
Tonganoxie was the No. 7 seed in the 4A East Bracket as of Tuesday afternoon. They would play against No. 10 Atchison (8-10) next week in Holton if the seeds remained the same. No. 2 Holton (16-2) would face No. 15 Paola (4-13) in the other semifinal game.
Ottawa swept Tonganoxie on May 3 in Ottawa, 13-2 and 9-8. Tonganoxie was in position to get a split in the doubleheader, but THS fell just short in the second game. THS trailed, 6-5, going into the fifth, but the Cyclones scored 3 runs in their half of the inning.
Tonganoxie rallied with 2 runs in the top of the seventh, but fell just short of tying the game. Tonganoxie outhit Ottawa, 15-10, but also committed 4 errors to the Cyclones’ 1.