Nevada, MO.- It was an incredible weekend for the Comets as they swept a 4 game homestand against Bellevue University (RV) and Langston University.  Cottey held Langston to one run in each contest to pick up two big wins and help the Comets improve to 4-0.  The biggest fireworks of the weekend came against Bellevue with two one run ball games that were hard fought victories for the Comets.

GAME ONE:

Lacey Cruz (SO/Oshkosh, WI) was dealing in this one.  Cruz struck out 15 Bruins in the complete game 3-2 effort to lead the Comets in a dominant performance.  The first inning started out with a bang with Cruz striking out all 3 Bruins.  In the bottom half of the inning Karina Ramirez (SO/Buckeye, AZ) led off with a single and then scored on an Alyssa Montoya (SO/Del Valle, TX) double.  Aryana Palencia provided the rest of the offense in the game for Cottey with a two-run home run scoring Montoya.  Cruz gave up a solo home run in the top of the 7th bringing the Bruins within one, but slammed the door to finish the complete game.  

GAME TWO:

Bellevue was in complete control for most of this one until the Comets came alive late.  Caitlyn Morgan (JR/Madisonville, TN) kept Cottey in the game giving up 4 earned runs in her 5 innings of work.  Morgan started the offense and gave the Comets hope with a solo home run in the bottom of the 5th with Cottey down four.  Melina Bueno singled and Karina Ramirez hit a two run home run that bounced off of the yellow line on the fence and into the netting above the fence.  Both teams went down quietly in the 6th as Montoya came on in relief to shut down the Bruins and Bellevue's ace Lauren Jurek was brought in to try to help preserve the 4-3 Bruins lead.  With one out in the bottom of the 7th Skylar Chappell (SO/Cartersville, GA) hit a solo home run onto the roof of the Rubie Burton Academic Center to tie the game.  The game moved to extra innings and an international tie breaker.  Montoya shut down the Bruins although they started with a runner on second base to begin the inning.  Bellevue sacrificed her to third giving up an out before popping up and striking out to end the top of the 8th inning.  Bellevue intentionally walked Montoya to put runners on first and second to start the bottom of the 8th.  Lauren Johnson (SO/Lockport, IL) walked, and Aryana Palencia (SO/Phoenix, AZ) then popped up with the bases loaded bringing Kristen Hurst (SO/Rison, AR) to the plate with one out.  Hurst was ready for the moment and executed a perfect squeeze bunt, scoring a stealing Ramirez from third base.

UP NEXT:

The Comets take on Hannibal LaGrange on Tuesday March 2nd and will look to expand on their 6-0 start to the 2021 season.