Softball Completes Doubleheader Sweep to Claim First Place in KJCCC

COLBY, Kan. — The Colby Trojans softball squad used a combination of late-game heroics and dominant pitching to earn a split against Seward County in Saturday's (March 21) conference doubleheader. The Trojans rallied for a dramatic 5-4 comeback victory in Game 1 before returning in Game 2 with a commanding 4-0 shutout behind a complete-game gem from Cheyenne Cramer.

Game 1

Timely hitting and lockdown relief pitching lifted the team to a 5-4 comeback win over Seward County as the Trojans used a decisive fifth inning to flip the game in their favor.

Colby trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the fifth before delivering the game's defining moment. Dayana Miller sparked the rally with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one, and Briley Christensen followed with a towering two-run home run to left field, giving the Trojans a 5-4 lead they would not relinquish.

The Trojans set the tone early despite a slow start offensively. Colby opened the scoring in the second inning, capitalizing on a Seward County error to take a 1-0 lead. They added another run in the third when Ella McDonald laced an RBI single to center, extending the advantage to 2-0.

Seward County answered in the fourth, stringing together timely hits to plate three runs and take a 3-2 lead. Taylor Harding and Kate Perez each delivered RBI knocks in the inning, helping shift momentum. The Saints added another run in the fifth to go up 4-2 before Colby's decisive response in the bottom half.

Christensen's home run proved to be the difference, as the sophomore finished 1-for-3 with a game-high two RBIs. McDonald and Ashlynn Pavlov led the Trojans offensively with two hits apiece, while Miller added an RBI and a run scored. Brooke Zinken reached base three times, going 1-for-1 with two walks and a double.

In the circle, Alison Nikolaus (4-3) battled through five innings to earn the win, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out five. Katelyn Zukewich was dominant in relief, shutting the door over the final two innings without allowing a hit. She struck out four and worked around two walks to secure her second save of the season. Colby's defense played a clean and crucial role, turning two double plays and committing no errors.

Game 2

Behind a dominant performance in the circle from Cheyenne Cramer and a steady offensive attack, Colby shut out Seward County 4-0 in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader.

Cramer was in complete control from the first pitch to the last, tossing a one-hit shutout to improve to 8-3 on the season. The right-hander worked all seven innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven and walking three. Seward County never advanced a runner past second base, as Cramer consistently worked out of trouble and kept the Saints off balance all afternoon.

Colby wasted no time providing support. In the bottom of the first inning, Brooke Zinken delivered an RBI single to give the Trojans a quick 1-0 lead. The Trojans added to their advantage in the fourth inning with a well-executed rally. Dayana Miller came through with a two-RBI single to extend the lead to 3-0, and Briley Christensen followed later in the inning with an RBI hit to push the margin to 4-0.

Colby finished with nine hits on the day, with multiple players contributing to the balanced offensive effort. Zinken, Christensen, Ava Pezely, and Jalyssa Sabatka each recorded two hits. Miller led the team in run production, driving in two runs, while Christensen and Zinken each added an RBI.

Defensively, Colby worked through a few miscues but limited any damage. Despite three errors, the Trojans did not allow a run, thanks in large part to Cramer's ability to induce weak contact and finish innings with strikeouts. Seward County managed just one hit in the afternoon, a triple from Jahlisa Klear, accounting for the Saints' lone offensive highlight. Grace Horne took the loss in the circle, pitching six innings while allowing four runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and four walks.

With the win, Colby now sits alone at the top of the KJCCC standings, improving to 10-2 in conference play. Riding a four-game winning streak, the Trojans have surged into first place and are gaining momentum at the right time. They return home Monday (March 23) for games against Cloud County.