BonnerSprings.com

Kansas City, Kan. — One of the toughest feats for any Kaw Valley League softball team to accomplish in recent years has been to sweep Piper — at Piper.

The Bonner Springs softball team did just that Tuesday, and the Bravettes did it in impressive fashion. They erupted for an 11-0 mercy-rule victory in just five innings in game one and then captured the nightcap in a seven-inning thriller, 6-5.

“They did everything I asked of them,” second-year BSHS coach Kara Wardlow said. “We hit the ball; we played defense; my pitchers were both on tonight. When everything goes together as well as that, you’re going to get a win.”

After a quiet first two innings in game one, BSHS pounced on Piper in the top of the third inning. The Bravettes plated five runs. Kelly Chastain reached on an error to start the inning, and the floodgates poured open. Shelbie Thornton, Cassady Holloway, Breanna Tendick and Carli Turner all joined Chastain in reaching base and scoring as the Bravettes built a 5-0 lead.

They scored three runs in each of the next two innings to complete the mercy-rule victory. Chastain — who reached base and scored twice — also pitched for the Bravettes in game one. She allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out five.

Game one may have been a blowout, but game two was a battle.

A rejuvenated Piper squad jumped on top quickly as it pounded four hits and scratched across three runs in the bottom of the first for a 3-0 lead.

Bonner Springs fired back with a pair of runs in the third inning as it strung three straight hits together. Geena Harris pounded a one-out double to right field, Thornton followed with an infield single, and both scored on a two-bagger by Holloway.

BSHS took the lead with two more runs in the fourth. Chelsea Parr and Sammy Ricci-Weller earned back-to-back walks. Parr scored on a single by Harris, and Holloway drove in Ricci-Weller with a base hit.

Piper evened the score at 4-4 with a run in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bravettes promptly responded with two more runs in the top of the sixth. Harris — the BSHS pitcher in game two — provided herself with some offensive support by crushing a solo home run that made the score 5-4. Holloway reached on an error with two outs, and she came around to score on a triple by Tendick that pressed the lead to 6-4.

Piper rallied for a run in the bottom of the inning, but the Pirates failed to do more damage when Harris snared a line-drive back at the mound for the third out with runners on second and third.

The Bravettes survived another scare in the bottom of the seventh. Piper earned a leadoff walk, and Marissa Selbe followed with a sharp grounder up the middle. Tendick — the BSHS shortstop — slid to knock the ball down before flipping it to Kaylie Holloway at second for a force out. Holloway wheeled and fired the ball to Kylee Timberlake at first to complete the double play. Moments later, Samantha Mikesic popped up to Kaylie Holloway for the final out.

Wardlow said she was proud of her team for showing so much resiliency during the final innings with the game on the line.

“We stayed competitive. We didn’t give up,” she said. “Bre Tendick made a great play to turn that doubleplay in the bottom of the seventh. Plays like that are when you’re most proud of them.”

Harris went 3-for-3 in game two with a single, double, home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. She also scattered 10 hits and struck out five while earning the victory, but she credited her teammates’ defensive play with helping finish the job.

“It was really big,” she said. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t think we would have done as good. I was so glad my team was behind me the whole time.”

Cassaday Holloway also had three hits and three RBIs in game two, and Tendick had a pair of hits.

Bonner Springs improved to 7-4 overall and 4-2 in the Kaw Valley League. The Bravettes play at 4:30 p.m. today at home against Mill Valley (10-2 overall, 6-0 KVL) and then play host to Tonganoxie (5-5 overall) at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

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