BALDWIN CITY, Kan. — McPherson’s season came to a close Monday with a 3-2 loss to Fort Scott in the Class 4A state softball quarterfinals at Baker University.
The No. 8 seed Bullpups finished 21-8, while No. 1 Fort Scott improved to 26-3 and advanced to face No. 4 Rock Creek in Wednesday’s semifinals at Arrocha Ballpark in Lawrence.
Fort Scott took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Raylee Cowan tripled and later stole home, but McPherson stayed within a run behind a strong outing from Carmin Pavlovich.
The Bullpups broke through in the sixth. Pera Bauer reached on a bunt single and scored when Rylie Whitfield singled to center and an error allowed Bauer to come home. Whitfield advanced to third on the play and scored on Ashlyn Schroeder’s RBI single to give McPherson a 2-1 lead.
The Tigers answered in the bottom of the sixth. Alli Wheeler singled and later scored on Cowan’s RBI double to tie the game. Cowan then stole third and scored on Kaylee Aikin’s groundout, putting the Tigers back in front 3-2.
McPherson put the tying run in scoring position in the seventh after Everlee Buchman singled and Kynedi Huggard moved her to second with a sacrifice bunt, but Fort Scott pitcher Kyndal Aikin retired the next two batters to end the game.
Pavlovich took the loss despite allowing three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks in six innings. Aikin earned the win for Fort Scott, allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.
Bauer, Whitfield, Schroeder, Brooke Doile, Buchman and Huggard each had one hit for McPherson. Cowan led Fort Scott, going 2 for 3 with a double, triple, RBI and two runs scored.