March 2, 2018 The Baker Orange | Sports page 13

Hot streak: Baker opens season 7-1

NATHALIA BARR
Managing Editor

The softball team opened up the

2018 season on a 7-1 hot streak.
The first four games for Baker
were at the Cowtown Classic in Fort
Worth, Texas. The Wildcats won two
of the games by spread in just five
innings. The ‘Cats out-scored their four
tournament opponents 47-10.
On Feb. 25 the Wildcats won a
series over McPherson College 3-0
and 3-2 and split a series with Tabor
College 1-0 and 1-2 on Feb. 27.
Tabor has been the only team to
edge the Wildcats in a 2-1 game. Baker
scored a run early in the top of the first
on sophomore Hannah Flynn’s single
that brought in junior Lydia Konrade.
Tabor answered quickly with a run of
its own in the same inning. Baker had
seven hits in the game but was unable
to convert anymore runs. Tabor scored
the game-winning run in the bottom of
the fourth inning on a Baker error.
Junior pitcher Olivia Brees
earned the Heart of America Athletic
Conference Pitcher of the Week honor
for her early-season performances.
Brees has earned four wins and
pitched 25.2 innings. She has struck
out 37 batters, allowed only nine hits
and has allowed no earned runs.
In 2017, Brees was named Honor-
able Mention All-American. Brees Senior Olivia Brees pitches to a Missouri Valley batter during the 2017 season. Brees opened her senior season with four wins and 37 strikeouts. Last
finished her junior season with 300 season Brees was named an Honorable Mention All-American and set the school record with 300 strikeouts in a single season. | Photo by Shelby
strikeouts, setting a Baker record. She Stephens
also set the school record for innings
hits and 11 RBIs. Konrade has hit one hot streak Friday and Saturday at the University of St. Mary.
pitched with 201.1.
homerun and three doubles and triples. Friends Invitational in Wichita. Friday After the tournament, the Wildcats
Offensively, the team has a 0.593
Senior Steph Cardona added Baker will take on No. 13 Ottawa will play their home opener on March
slugging percentage with 17 doubles,
another six RBIs off of a homerun and University and No. 1 Oklahoma City 10 against Missouri Valley College to
six triples and three homeruns. Junior
three doubles. University. On Saturday Baker will open up conference play.
Lydia Konrade leads the team with 11
The Wildcats look to continue the play Bethany College, York College and

Wildcats look to end losing streak

NATHALIA BARR
Managing Editor
The Baker baseball team started
off the 2018 season on a rough note
losing the first nine games. The ‘Cats
fell to University of St. Mary, William
Woods University, Sterling College
and Louisiana State University-
Shreveport.
The Wildcats now stand at 3-12,
with the highlight so far coming in the
3-1 series win over Waldorf University.
Baker won the first three games
10-5, 8-5 and 1-0. The ‘Cats almost
got the sweep but fell in the final
game of the series 10-9 in 10 innings.
Junior Will Edwards leads
the Baker pitching staff with 18
strikeouts in 14.2 innings pitched.
Junior David Tudhope has 14
strikeouts in 15 innings pitched.
Edwards, Tudhope and senior Matt
Stuart each earned the wins over
Waldorf.
Baker batters have 112 hits, 17
Shortstop Bailey Pattin tracks down the ball in the second inning against University of Saint Mary.
Both games were played at Lawrence Free State High School. The ‘Cats fell 8-10 and 5-14 in the
season opening doubleheader. | Photo by Jenna Black
doubles, five triples and five homeruns
so far this season. In comparison, the
Wildcats’ opponents have totaled 139
hits, 28 doubles, one triple and nine
homeruns against Baker.
Junior Max Taulbee leads Baker
in RBIs with nine followed by senior
Kenny Delaquila with seven.
Sophomore Bailey Pattin has
been a consistent force for Baker’s
offensive production. So far, Pattin
has scored 12 runs for the Wildcats,
has 19 hits and four RBIs. Pattin also
has a 0.365 batting average.
On Tuesday Baker hoped to carry
its momentum over into its games
against Northwestern College and
University of Jamestown. Baker lost
to Northwestern 7-1 and 6-3 against
Jamestown.
The team had another nine-game
losing streak last season in the
middle of March.
The Wildcats will host Manhattan
Christian College for a doubleheader
Saturday at Sauder Field beginning at
1 p.m. On March 10 Baker will begin
taking on Heart of America Athletic
Conference opponents, starting with
Clarke University.