Allen Community College opened the Region VI playoffs with a 7-2 loss to Cowley, and fended off Labette 8-5 before falling to Johnson County 6-1 to end the year.

Allen?s 7-2 loss to Cowley County dropped the Red Devils to the consolation bracket, where they fended off a Labette rally to prevail, 8-5.

The victory keeps Allen (22-26) alive for now, with the longest of roads looming for a potential tournament title.

Things started well enough Wednesday. Leadoff batter Brooklyn Goehring roped a triple to start the game. She scored on Bailee Campbell?s RBI single to right. But even after Hayley Gerberding made it three straight hitters to reach safely to start the frame, the Red Devils failed to score again.

The Tigers knotted the proceedings in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly and took a 2-1 lead in the second on a passed ball.

A walk and two singles triggered two more Cowley runs in the third, before a double, single and triple ? all with two outs in the fourth ? made it 7-1.

Allen catcher Ashley Tribble blasted an 0-2 pitch over the fence for a solo home run in the top of the seventh for Allen?s final run.

Goehring had a single and triple, while Tribble?s home run and singles by Campbell and Gerberding accounted for Allen?s offense. Camrynn Yardley pitched 3.2 innings, striking out four and allowing 1 hit. Campbell came on in relief, allowing a hit with a strikeout over 2.1 innings.

A WILD, back-and-forth affair followed as Allen and Labette Community College scrambled to stay alive.

Madisyn Havenstein walked with the bases loaded, Yardley singled in a run and Tribble hit a sac fly as the Red Devils took a quick 3-0 lead.

Labette sliced the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the third before Goehring had a one-out RBI double and Gerberding singled with two down to bring Goehring home.

Jena Hendrix singled to lead off ACC?s fifth inning. Tribble followed with a two-out single before Kalyn Miller hit a fly ball and reached on an error, making it 6-3. Goehring then was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded for the seventh run.

Campbell?s bases-loaded walk in the seventh capped the scoring.

Morgan Collins earned the win. She pitched the first four innings, allowing six hits, while Yardley came on to toss three scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts.

Goehring hit a single and double, while Herberding, Yardley and Tribble all singled twice. Hendrix and Miller had one single each.

Goehring hit a single and double, while Herberding, Yardley and Tribble all singled twice. Hendrix and Miller had one single each.

Red Devils fell to Johnson County 6-1 to end the season finishing the year 22-27.

Article and Photo Credits: Richard Luken