Lady Lions Run-Rule Lady Indians
Lovelady Pitchers Only Allow Two Baserunners
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
LOVELADY – The Lovelady Lady Lions are ranked #1 in Class 2A softball for a reason. They have both great pitching and great hitting. That double-barreled attack was on full display last Friday when they hosted the #20 ranked Groveton Lady Indians.
From the circle, Lovelady pitchers Macie LaRue and Mimi Sandoval combined to only allow two baserunners on a walk and a bloop single. At the plate, the Lady Lions scored 10 runs while pounding out 13 hits and drawing two walks as they won by a final score of 10-0.
LaRue got the start for the Lady Lions and worked a 1-2-3 inning. She forced Lexi Easterling to line out to short before catching both Landree Martin and Abby Lee watching as strike three settled into catcher Morgan Womack’s mitt.
When Lovelady came up to bat, they wasted little time in jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Mihyia Davis singled to right and moved to second on Scout Lovell’s sacrifice bunt. Sandoval drew a walk and with Linda Martinez at the plate, Megan Luce uncorked a wild pitch to move Davis and Sandoval up a base.
A passed ball allowed Davis to race home with the game’s first run while Sandoval moved over to third. Martinez eventually drew a walk and as Morgan Womack settled into the batter’s box, she stole second.
On the first pitch Womack saw, she lined a shot into left to drive in Sandoval and move Martinez to third. That was all the Lady Lions would get in the first, however, as Rylee Bierdrzycki fanned and Haven Prager grounded out to second.
Now with a 2-0 lead, LaRue went back to work. She coaxed Luce to ground into a 5-3 force at first but then walked Madison Thomas. First base was as far as she would get as LaRue caught KiKi Smith swinging at strike three and then got Shelby Arnold to ground out to short.
The Lady Indians made a change at pitcher and it initially paid off. Shelby Arnold relieved Luce in the circle and struck out Bailee Albinus on four pitches. She then got LaRue to ground out to second and then popped up Davis for the third out.
In the top of the third, LaRue continued her domination of the Lady Indian hitters. First, she got Tatum Porter to ground out and then fanned Bailee Reed on three pitches. Easterling was up next and she swung at the first pitch she saw, grounding it to Martinez at third who fielded the ball cleanly and threw to first to end the Groveton half of the inning.
After being shutout in the second, Lovelady erupted for four runs in the third. Lovell led off with a triple and scampered home when Sandoval singled to center. Sandoval moved to second on a base knock from Martinez. Both runners moved up when Womack dropped down a bunt and reached safely to load the bases.
Bierdrzycki was up next and grounded into a fielder’s choice at second, but on the play, Sandoval crossed the plate to make the score 4-0 as Martinez moved up to third. With Prager at the plate, Bierdrzycki attempted to steal second but was thrown out at the bag.
Prager, however, would single to drive in Martinez and when Albinus doubled into the left field gap, Prager came all the way around to cross the dish and make the score 6-0.
LaRue grounded out but when she went back to the mound in the fourth, she didn’t allow a baserunner as Martin fanned while Lee grounded out to second and Luce lined out to short.
The Lady Lions plated two in the bottom of the frame to make it 8-0 and in the top of the fifth, Sandoval relieved LaRue in the circle. After giving up a bloop single to Thomas, Sandoval retired the next three batters to bring her teammates in from the field.
Lovelady scored two more in the bottom of the fifth and when Albinus crossed the plate, the game was called because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
