Two wins, two homers by Jones key Cougars’ sweep

In the same year men’s basketball coach Bob Burchard reached 300 wins, softball coach Wendy Spratt recorded No. 200 with a 2-1 victory over McKendree College in the Cougars’ American Midwest Conference opener. Columbia College completed the doubleheader sweep with a 5-0 victory in the second game.

Pitching dictated the outcome of both games, with ace Natalie Buitink pitching a two-hitter in the first game and Jayne Miller tossing a one-hit shutout in the second.

McKendree (6-11 overall, 0-2 AMC) came in ranked No. 7 NAIA but have not faced the high level of competition the No. 9-ranked Cougars (18-4, 2-0) have, and it showed.

“A lot of the key to our success is in our schedule,” Spratt said. “We faced a lot of good pitching, and we hit the ball well this weekend (in the Cougar Classic). That carried over to today.”

In the first game, the Cougars struggled early. With Columbia College failing to put a runner on base for the opening 1 1/3 innings, shortstop Kristina Jones decided to take the game into her own hands.

The freshman from Jefferson City took an inside pitch from McKendree’s Angie Grote deep to left centerfield. With the home run, Jones became only the seventh player to hit one over the fence in the 18-year history of Cougar Field.

“She (Grote) was throwing me some pretty good pitches, and I took advantage of them,” Jones said.

Buitnik did not allow an earned run, struck out three and forced several McKendree hitters into pop flies and weak infield hits. The Cougar defense played its role as well, coming up with outstanding plays.

With the game tied 1-1 with one out in the top of the third, McKendree’s Kate Walsh charged toward home on a weak grounder to short. Instead of going to first, Jones took a risk and went for home where Cougar catcher Carly Millsap applied the tag, stopping McKendree’s only chance to take the lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Buitink scored on Tara Adam’s RBI double to give the Cougars the win.

“This time of year is when I turn it on,” Buitink said. “I was more intense in this game than I’ve been all year.”

In Game Two, it was more of the same pitching and defensive dominance by the Cougars with Miller’s six strikeouts and no walks.

Unlike the first game, the Cougars’ hits came early and often, with Columbia College having baserunners in all but the third inning.

Jones had her second homer of the day in the bottom of the fourth, this time taking an outside pitch from McKendree’s Mindy Jameson into centerfield. She now leads the Cougars with five home runs this season.

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