'Hounds give No. 8 Cavs challenge

Fort Scott pitcher Brittny Washington delivers a pitch to a Johnson County batter during the first game of a Jayhawk Conference-Eastern Division doubleheader against Johnson County at the Betty Ruth Willard Complex Monday afternoon. Although Washington allowed only 3 hits, the Greyhounds lost the game 1-0. Johnson County also won the second game by a 4-2 score in eight innings.
(Scott Nuzum/Tribune)

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The Cavaliers won the first game 1-0 and had to go to extra innings before beating Fort Scott in the nightcap 4-2.

Fort Scott's pitching allowed only 9 hits on the day and the defense committed just 2 errors. Oddly enough, this defensive display came just three days after the Greyhounds split a home conference doubleheader against Independence in which a total of 48 runs scored (Indy won the opener 10-8; Fort Scott took the second game 18-12).

Kim Smith scored the only Johnson County run of the opener in the top of the seventh inning, taking the first pitch of the inning over the center-field fence. Ironically, pitcher Brittny Washington pitched an otherwise great game, allowing 3 hits and walking 2 batters.

The Cavaliers (4-0 East, 6-0 overall) had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the third inning but first baseman Marie Crowley made a diving stop and then beat the runner back to the base for an unassisted double play to end the rally.

Johnson County also had runners on second and third in the fifth, again with one out. But a shallow fly ball to center field was too short to bring a run home and the next batter grounded weakly back to Washington for the final out of the inning.

Fort Scott (2-4, 2-6) had its share of chances as well. The Greyhounds got a pair of runners on in each of their first two innings but couldn't score. Courtney Borland singled to lead off the third but was stranded at second.

The Greyhounds got two on with two out in the fifth. Borland drew a walk and Sarah Donnell was hit by a pitch. Each runner moved up on a passed ball but Johnson County pitcher Lacey Dixon struck out the next batter to end the inning.

The 'Hounds rallied again in the seventh. Crowley was hit by a pitch with one out and Cassie Sharon was sent in to pinch run. Paige Colborn bunted and reached base. The runners executed a double steal to get on second and third but Dixon struck out the final two batters of the game.

Dixon took to the pitching circle in the fourth inning and allowed 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 7.

Johnson County's first run of the second game was unearned in the top of the third.

Fort Scott took the lead when Fort Scott High School graduate Jamie Collins doubled home Brittney Boyd and Alix Price in the bottom of the fourth,

The Greyhounds got two runners on with one out in the bottom of the sixth but couldn't bring them in.

Amber Parkison and Tara Wolf got consecutive one-out singles in the top of the eighth. The runners executed a double steal and Parkison scored on a wild pitch to put Johnson County ahead. Then Amy Vanderwell's groundout to third scored Wolf.

Dixon put the Greyhounds down in order in the bottom of the eighth, capping a second-game performance in which she allowed 7 hits and 3 walks but struck out 8.

Parkison went 3 for 4 for Johnson County and scored 2 runs.

Sharon allowed 6 hits and 1 walk while striking out 3 for the 'Hounds.

A division doubleheader with Highland that was on Fort Scott's original schedule for today has been postponed. There is a chance they will play Ellsworth, Iowa., Wednesday in a game that's been added to the schedule. Ellsworth is in Kansas for the week playing area teams.

If the Greyhounds do not play Ellsworth, their next games won't be until they play a doubleheader at Maple Woods (Mo.) on March 18.

Game One

WP -- Dixon. LP -- Washington.

HR -- Johnson County: Smith, top 7th, none on, none out. Fort Scott: None.

Game Two

WP -- Dixon. LP -- Sharon.

HR -- None.