Lady Braves stay alive in KCAC tourney

SALINA — The Ottawa University softball team won two of three games Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament in Salina.

Ottawa plays Bethany today in the semifinals. The other semifinal pits Friends and Kansas Wesleyan.

Ottawa opened with an 8-1 win over Southwestern. Ottawa lost to Friends, 6-1, and topped McPherson, 8-1.

Ottawa 8, Southwestern 1

Ottawa scored eight unanswered runs after Southwestern scored one in the first inning.

Ottawa scored six runs in the third and two more in the sixth. Korey Higbie, Kelly Higbie and Jamie Miller combined for six of Ottawa’s nine hits.

Kayla Tibbs took the loss for Southwestern, while Jamie Simms got the win for Ottawa, allowing one run on seven hits.

Friends 6, Ottawa 1

Friends took advantage of four Ottawa errors to top the Lady Braves.

Friends scored four runs in the fifth inning to open a 6-0 lead.

Friends had eight hits. Stephanie Jaime and Bobbie McCarty led Friends with two hits, while Allison Bellar drove in two runs.

Jamie Miller had two of Ottawa’s five hits in the game, while Ashley Mundy drove in the Braves’ lone run.

Pam Johnston took the loss for Ottawa, while Brandi Leeker got the win.

Ottawa 8, McPherson 1

Ottawa scored eight runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to eliminate McPherson.

Lori Ewalt was 4-for-5 and Sharee Joyner added three hits for the Braves, who knocked out 12 hits in the game.

Jamie Simms went the distance to get the win for Ottawa, while Mallory Yungeberg took the loss for McPherson, pitching four-plus innings.