Pratt Community College softball returned to Angood Field for a Sunday double header matchup against North Iowa Area Community College. The Beavers battled NIACC in both games with both teams offenses clashing at the plate in Game 1. Pratt mounted a 10 run rally in the fifth inning and held on for a 16-15 win. Game 2 was the opposite of the first game with team defense and field play taking control. Down to their final two outs and with the bases loaded, Michelle Castillo stepped to the plate for the Blue and White and slapped a shot to the second base side. The fielder had an arrent throw which allowed Castillo to be safe and the Beavers to score on a walkoff bringing the runner from second to home. PCC completes the 2-0 sweep with a 4-3 win in Game 2.
Game 1 had both Pratt and NIACC deadlocked at 5-5 through the first two innings. NIACC gained the lead in the third inning and added runs every inning through the fifth. Heading into the bottom of the fifth PCC trailed 6-12. The Beavers rallied in the bottom of the fifth with 10 runs in the inning. NIACC would not go away easy and scored three runs in the seventh in large part to a multi-run home run. PCC managed to get the last out to take the win 16-15.
At the plate, Lyndsey Loomis, Tymarra Bryant, and Castillo led the Blue and White's offensive attack. Loomis finished four for five with a pair of RBIs and a run. Bryant ended the game two for four with two RBIs and a run. Castillo was a scoring machine in Game 1 with a team high five RBIs and four runs going one for five at the plate.
In the second game the defense stepped up for both teams. NIACC scored runs in the first and second, but Pratt tied the game up in the third with two runs of their own. NIACC took a one run lead in the fifth and drove the game the final inning. Entering the bottom of the seventh and down to their final three outs, PCC trailed 2-3.
Bryant led off the inning for the Blue and White with a walk and managed to reach second on a wild pitch. Kelie Byers hit a single to center and stretched it into a double to put Pratt runners on second and third with no outs. MaKenzie Anderson was walked to load the bases for Castillo to step into the box. NIACC implimented a shift where they dropped the center fielder into the infield for an extra fielder on the first base side of second while pinching their other outfielders to fill the gap. Castillo slapped the ball to the second basemen. The second basemen fielded the ball and over corrected her throw. The ball sailed past the first basemen allowing Castillo to reach the base. Bryant and Byers came around on the throwing error to score and give Pratt the walkoff win at 4-3.
Anderson, Byers, and Loomis produced when it counted for the Beavers in Game 2. All three players went one for three at the plate. Anderson had a key run in the game. Loomis scored Anderson off a single to center for an RBI.
Byers was a work horse against NIACC in Game 2. She went one for three with the key run to take the win. Byers also commanded the mound for Game 2 giving up only three runs in seven innings of work. She also had two strikeouts and gave up two walks in the 31 batters she faced.
PCC continues their current six game home stand with a double header against Northwest Kansas Tech on March 16. First pitch is at 2 p.m. with the second game starting around 4 p.m.