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Redskins run-rule Lima Senior |
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Wednesday, 28 March 2007 |
By PHIL McLEAN
Staff Writer
The Lima Senior varsity softball coach may be wondering about the wisdom of the Spartan athletic department in scheduling back-to-back games with Western Buckeye League teams.
In two days, WBL teams have outscored the Spartans 20-1.
The latest loss coming Tuesday in a five inning run-rule victory, 11-1, at the hands of the Wapakoneta Redskins.
Wapakoneta coach Bill Sammons said he wants the Redskins to score in every inning and Tuesday they did just that notching single runs in the first third frames and collecting four runs each in the final two innings in improving their season record to 2-0.
Sammons received solid pitching from his starter Acacia Truesdale, who struck out eight and gave up the lone run the Spartans plated. He also got some quality work from backup pitcher Amy Copeland, who came on in relief in the fourth inning.
“The girls brought their game and really got behind Amy,” Sammons said.
From the opening pitch, the game belonged to the Redskins.
In the first inning, Truesdale retired the side in order, striking out two and getting Lima’s Briana Butler to ground out to Megan Wegesin at third base.
Lima Senior starter Kelsey Hoff did not fair nearly as well, facing more than three batters in every inning.
She did not strike out a single batter Tuesday, having to rely on her defense to get the Spartans out of each inning.
Tara Place, who was 4-for-4 on the night, opened things up in the first with a lead-off single. She scored on a sacrifice fly by Abby Snider.
Truesdale sat down the side in the second inning, striking out all three batters she faced, while Snider provided and important assist after a dropped third strike. She threw Erin Miracle out at first.
In the home second, with one out, Jordyn Bodell, in her first start of the year, hit a one-out double and scored on a single by Sierra Vondehuevel.
Christy Steinke hit a single in the third inning and scored as the Redskins added to their hit total which reached 16 on the night with three extra base knocks.
“Iron sharpens iron,” Sammons said. “We put the ball in play.”
The hitting was contagious.
In the fourth inning, with one out, four straight batters — Place, Erica Bryan, Snider and Steinke — all reached base safely. Three of the four batters singled and Snider reached on one of the few errors in the game.
“Erica had a break out night,” Sammons said.
The freshman who plays with all the poise of an upper classman singled twice and reached base safely in three of her four plate appearances.
Wapakoneta came to the play in the home fifth with a 7-1 lead. Ashley Lucas tripled to open the inning, followed by a run producing single by Devon Golden. Place singled, moved up on an infield fly by Bryan and attempted to reach the plate on Snider’s single, but was thrown out.
Steinke and Copeland both reached on fielder’s choice to load the bases. Then Wegesin, who had been 0-for-2 on the night, hit a game-ending double to give the Redskins the 11-1 win.
“Success breeds success,” Sammons said as he looked over the book following the game. “But we have our work cut out for us.”
Wapakoneta is set to host Marion Local at 5 p.m. Thursday. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 29 March 2007 )
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