Lovell’s 2 HRs Help Even Series

By Will Johnson

Messenger Reporter

RUSK – After losing a heartbreaker in the bottom of the seventh inning on Thursday night, the Lovelady Lady Lions returned to Rusk on Friday for Game Two of their best-of-three series with the Joaquin Lady Rams.

It was a win or go home situation for Lovelady and the Lady Lions made it clear they had a lot of softball left to play in 2021 when they hit the turf on Friday.

Lovelady sent Macie LaRue to the circle to start Game Two and she did a masterful job. She coaxed Ebbie McCann to ground out to third to lead off the game and then gave up a single to Jayden Bass.

A passed ball moved Bass to second but LaRue jammed Kennedy Stanley inside and caused her to pop up to second. Chloee Mason – who picked up the win for Joaquin on Thursday – was up next but lined out to short to end the Lady Rams’ half of the first.

Mason was back in the circle for the Lady Rams and while she kept the Lovelady offense in check for most of the game, there was one Lady Lion who had her number as freshman Scout Lovell got things rolling for Lovelady in the bottom of the first inning.

With a 0-2 count, Lovell fouled off a pitch and then watched two balls go by. Mason tried to blow a pitch by Lovell for a strikeout, but Lovell timed her swing perfectly and sent a rocket over the left field fence to give Lovelady an early 1-0 lead.

Jacy Stubblefield was up next and bunted her way aboard, however, she was caught stealing when McCann gunned her down at second from the catcher’s position. Linda Martinez and Haven Prager both struck but, at the end of one, the Lady Lions had the lead.

After recording two quick outs in the top of the second, LaRue ran into a little trouble. She hit Kalie Brooks with a pitch and then yielded a single to Juli King.

Then, on a 1-0 count, LaRue uncorked a wild pitch to advance the runners. LaRue, who has really started to come into her own during the playoffs, didn’t panic, however. She followed up the wild pitch with three strikes to send Addi Harvey back to the dugout and end the Lady Rams’ threat.

Mason worked an easy second inning as she retired Morgan Womack on a fly ball to short, struck out Erin Sample and then got Makenna Pierce to line out to left.

In the top of the third, the Lady Rams threatened but LaRue managed to keep Joaquin off of the scoreboard. McCann led off with single to center and moved to second on a Bass bunt. Stanley also tried to bunt but popped up to first. Mason – who could have helped her own cause – was up next and lined out to short, holding the runners at first and second.

An infield error allowed Chrislyn Pena to reach and the bases were loaded with two outs. Once again, LaRue kept her composure and forced Madison Baker to fly out to right, dashing the Joaquin hopes of a big inning.

When the Lady Lions came in from the field, they extended their lead to 3-0. Mason seemed to be getting stronger as the game went on as she struck out Rylee Biedrzycki on three pitches and then fanned Bailee Albinus on four.

The brought Lovell to the plate for the second time and on Mason’s eighth pitch of the inning, she made a mistake. She threw a fastball right down the middle of Main Street and Lovell was waiting on it. Lovell turned on the pitch and blasted it over the fence in left for her second round-tripper of the game.

Stubblefield followed with a triple to left and scored when a Martinez pop fly was misplayed. Prager was up next and singled to center while Womack was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sample was next in the batter’s box and while she had a quality at-bat, Mason struck her out with a nasty change-up to end the inning.

Brooks led off the fourth inning with a single for Joaquin but it was all for naught as King lined out to second, Harvey struck out looking and McCann flew out to left. Lovelady didn’t fare any better in their half of the inning as Pierce popped up to second while both Biedrzycki and Albinus struck out.

Quiet fifth and sixth innings moved the contest to the final inning of play with Lovelady still leading by three. Coach Jordyn Hester made a change in the circle as she brought in Mimi Sandoval to close out the game and Sandoval didn’t disappoint.

She struck out Harvey on three pitches, got McCann to chase a pitch out of the strike zone for a K, gave up a double to Bass and forced Stanley to pop up to second to end the game, with the score 3-0.

LaRue picked up the win for the Lady Lions as she worked six innings and didn’t allow a run on five hits. She also struck out two and walked one. Sandoval was credited with the save as she pitched a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.

Mason took the loss as she pitched six innings and gave up three runs on seven hits. She also struck out 10, walked one and gave up two homeruns.

Speaking of big flies, Lovell was 2-2 with two dingers, two RBI and a walk.

Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].