Colton Softball splits two games against Sunnyside Christian

COLTON — The Colton Wildcats softball team split a doubleheader series against Sunnyside Christian May 9. The first game was won by the Knights and the second was won by the Wildcats.

Colton now has a 14-4 overall record with a 6-3 conference record. They still sit second in the 1B Southeast Conference.

The first game of the doubleheader Tuesday was a hard-fought victory by Sunnyside Christian, who jumped out to the early lead and used late-game offense to push through and win 7-3.

Sidni Whitcomb got the start for the Wildcats where she pitched a complete game. She allowed seven runs, five of which were earned. Whitcomb allowed 11 hits but struck out six batters.

The Wildcats took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but were quickly behind later in the inning.

The Knights started the bottom of the first inning by scoring three runs, taking the early 3-1 lead.

Colton would not score until the top of the third, when they put two runs on the board to tie the game at three.

Sunnyside Christian would score two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to break the deadlock, and take the first game 7-3.

Whitcomb and Meredith Bell had the only RBIs in the game for the Wildcats. They also had six errors in the game.

The second game of the day saw the Wildcats and Knights go back-and-forth, with the Wildcats scoring early and late, while the Knights got their scoring early.

Kiya Soza went six innings for Colton where she allowed one run in three hits and struck out nine batters. She came in during the second inning for Kate Schultheis, who started the game but was pulled after two innings where she allowed eight runs on seven hits. Only three of her eight runs were earned.

Whitcomb and Schultheis each had two RBIs to lead Colton, they also both went 3-4 hitting on the day, Claire Moehrle also had three hits for the Wildcats.

After one inning the Wildcats led 2-1. They would grow the lead to three after scoring two runs in the top of the second, but quickly saw the lead vanish as the Knights erupted for seven runs to take the 8-4 lead.

Once Soza came into the game for the Wildcats she pitched five scoreless innings, the only other time the Knights scored was in the bottom of the sixth.

After Colton scored a run in the top of the fourth, they put four past Sunnyside Christian in the top of the seventh to tie the game at nine. In the eighth inning the Wildcats came up clutch, scoring the go-ahead run before shutting out the Knights in the bottom of the eighth to win the game 10-9.