The Briar Cliff softball team improved to 4-0 on the weekend and 7-1 overall on the season with a pair of wins Sunday. The Chargers down Stephens 9-2 in game one and held off William Woods in extra innings.
 
"I couldn't be more proud of how our team came out today," said head coach Erin Bly. "It was a tough schedule with a long break and our team fought hard to win it in extra innings. Morgan did a great job coming in and getting the win for us. Our hitters really executed when we needed them the most."
 
Game 1 vs Stephens – W, 9-2
The Chargers scored first against the Stars, after a single from Kennedy Andersen, pinch runner Montgomerie Richter-Pfirrman would later score. In the third inning, Ali Naumann reached first on an error, scoring Sydney Lierman to go up 2-0. A double from Aubrey Chichurka, followed by a Kylee Lukes triple brought the Cliff lead to four runs.
 
Through the first nine outs of the game, Katelyn Kotlarz did not surrender a hit and recorded eight strikeouts.
 
Kenadee Loew doubled to score Karis Gifford in the sixth, and the Chargers added two more runs in the inning to take a 8-1 advantage. Naumann drove in the ninth Charger run in the seventh with a single that scored Gifford.
 
Chichurka, Loew, Lierman and Lukes all recorded extra base hits for the Cliff. Nauman and Richter-Pfirrman stole one base each.
 
Gifford scored three runs and drew one walk, while Karina Cupples went 3-for-5 with one RBI.
 
Kotlarz is credited with the win and improves to 3-1 on the season. Through four starts and five total appearances, Kotlarz has 48 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.
 
Morgan Jones threw one scoreless inning in relief, and Mackenna Raby pitched one inning.
 
Game 2 vs William Woods – W, 9-6
Briar Cliff was the first to score in their second game of the day, with Cupples crossing home plate on a Lukes single. Chichurka would make the score 2-0 off a sac fly from Kennedy Andersen.
 
Maddi Duncan tallied five strikeouts through her first six outs in the pitcher's circle. However, the Owl would get a run back in the fourth, scoring off a Charger throwing error.
 
Aketzalli Aranda doubled to left field in the sixth, scoring Lukes to extend the lead to 3-1. Veronica Pitzl pinch ran for Aranda and would cross home plate on a Lierman single.
 
William Woods' bats came alive in the sixth scoring four runs, including a three-run home run to take a 5-4 lead. Jones entered the contest in relief, ending the inning with a ground out to third base.
 
Aranda drove in two more runs, giving BC the lead in the top of the seventh, scoring Luke and Hailey Asciutto on a ground out. However, the Owls threatened to walk off in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run to tie the game. With two outs and runners on second and third, Jones forced a ground out to Lukes at shortstop to send the game to extra innings.
 
The Chargers scored the first run in the eighth off a Owl error on a sac bunt attempt. Cupples drove in Lierman on a Owl error, and Naumann drove in Callie Billings with a sac fly to center field.
 
With a runner placed on second to start the inning, the Chargers recorded a double-play to clear the bases. Jones struck out the Owl batter to secure the 9-6 Charger win.
 
Billings went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored one run. Aranda totaled three RBIs and Cupples stole two bases.
 
Jones is credited with the win after throwing 2.1 innings in relief with two strikeouts, two hits and one run. Maddi Duncan started the game and had seven strikeouts in four innings.
 
The Chargers close out their Missouri trip tomorrow with two more games. BC faces Graceland at 10 a.m. and Stephens at 12 p.m. in Fulton, Missouri.