Tigers sweep, clinch second in SEK

Fort Scott shortstop Delane Gray (left) and third baseman Sidney Maycumber find themselves both going after the ball as Chanute's Graue Greer attempts to make her way to third base during the third inning of the first game of a Southeast Kansas League doubleheader at Don Hewett Field Thursday afternoon. (Kenny Felt/Special to the Tribune)

Fort Scott High School's softball team showed the form that makes head coach Alvin Metcalf happy in the first game of a Southeast Kansas League doubleheader against Chanute at Don Hewett Field Thursday evening. Then in the second game, they showed the kind of form that frustrates him.

But the Tigers did post a sweep in their final twinbill of the regular season. They defeated the Blue Comets 6-1 in the first game and outslugged them 17-10 in the nightcap.

Fort Scott (10-4 SEK, 11-7 overall) assured itself of second place in the league with the sweep. The Tigers go into the Paola Class 4A Regional Tournament Monday on a three-game winning streak and holding the No. 2 seed (more about Regional below). Labette County clinched its third consecutive SEK title last week.

Maycumber picks up the ball and tags Greer for the third out of the inning. Fort Scott took both games from Chanute, 6-1 and 17-10. (Kenny Felt/Special to the Tribune)

The Tigers played good defense behind Jenna Harper (7-3) in the opener, committing just 2 errors and making highlight defensive plays. Harper allowed no earned runs on 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out 6.

"Jenna Harper threw a great first game," Fort Scott head coach Alvin Metcalf said. "She keeps the ball down, moves it and and out. She keeps people off base. She walks a lot of people but she always finds a way to get out of that and lets the defense work for her."

In the second game, the Tigers struggled on defense, committing 6 errors; 6 of the 9 runs charged to Bailey Gray (4-4) were unearned.

"She throws a great game," Metcalf said of Gray. "But the defense, the last two times she's been out there, hasn't supported her very well. And we're going to try and fix that."

Freshman Keyenne Wade went to the circle, making just her second varsity appearance, in the top of the fifth inning of the nightcap. Chanute (7-9, 7-13) had scored 4 runs already in the inning to get within 12-9 but Wade struck out the first batter she faced to get the Tigers out of trouble.

Wade allowed a hit in the sixth but that runner was stranded at third. The Comets' leadoff runner reached on a 3-base error in the seventh and scored an unearned run and Wade walked one batter and hit another. But she also got good defense on a bunt and 2 more strikeouts to close out the game.

Wade finished with no earned runs on 1 hit and 1 walk while striking out 5 in 2 1/3 innings.

"I've always had the idea of using her in the back of my mind,' Metcalf said. "She's a good freshman pitcher. She pitches better with the varsity, I've noticed, than with the JV. I think it's because she feels the defense behind her."

Chanute played even worse defense in the second game, committing 11 errors. But six Tigers also had hits with Gray going 3 for 5 and Riley Brown 3 for 4. Kenzie Heatherly and Sidney Maycumber each had 2 hits. Mackenzie Jackman drove in 3 runs while Heatherly knocked in two.

Jackman was 4 for 4 in the opener with 4 RBIs. She hit an inside-the-park home run to the deepest part of the park in the first inning.

In her last 8 games, Jackman is batting .517 (15 for 29) with 20 RBIs. She has hit 2 homers, 4 doubles and a triple, which gives her a slugging percentage of 1.070. Her on-base percentage is .600.

"She came alive again tonight, hitting the ball,' Metcalf said. "Coming into tonight, she had 32 RBIs. And that's because Hannah Tourtillott and Riley Brown get on in front of her."

Tourtillott, Brown and Heatherly each had 2 hits in the opener. Heatherly drove in 2 on a third-inning single.

NOTES -- Outfielder Shelby Maycumber suffered a knee injury in the third inning of the second game when she landed awkwardly after jumping over the catcher's tag on a play at home plate. It wasn't know at press time if she'll be ready for Monday but she was able to put some pressure on the knee by game's end....

Game One

Fort Scott...... 103 101 x -- 6 11 2

WP -- Harper (7-3). LP -- Bailey.

HR -- Fort Scott: Jackman (2, 1st inn., none on, none out).

Game Two

Fort Scott...... 336 041 x -- 17 12 6

WP -- Gray (4-4). LP -- Cooper. Save -- Wade (1).