Wednesday, April 11, 2018

Softball falters on the road

The Oran High School Lady Eagles softball team lost yesterday at Park Hills Central 9-1.  It was the first regular-season loss for the squad since April 23rd, 2016 in the Scott City Softballfest to West
County.

Oran gave up five runs in the first and two more in the third off of starter Kaylee Payne (3-1), who went the first three innings.

The Rebels used two singles, a double, a groundout a hit batter, a squeeze bunt, two Eagle errors and six stolen bases as they batted around.

Payne had singled with one out in the first but was stranded there.

Claire Ramsey led off the second with a single, but her courtesy-runner Baylee Kern was stranded at second.

Park Hills picked up two more in the third inning with a pair of hits, a groundout and a passed ball.

The Eagles got their lone run in the fourth after Samantha Welter walked, went to third on Ramsey's double and scored on Katelyn Streeter's single.

Alyssa Spane took over in the circle in the bottom of the fourth.  She faced the minimum in that inning despite giving up two singles.  She got a soft line drive that she turned into a double play and then a caught stealing ended the inning.

In the fifth, Park Hills had a single, a fielder's choice and then with two down a home run over the left field fence.

In the sixth, Jessie Long led off with a single, went to second on Ramsey's base on balls, but both were left there.

In the seventh, Sydney Kern and Payne singled with two down but the game ended with them there.

Payne took the loss, her first in her high school career.  She went three innings, giving up seven runs only three earned on six hits.  She walked one and struck out one.  Spane went the final three innings. She gave up two runs both earned.  She allowed four hits.  Did not walk a batter and did not strike out anyone.

Sydney Kern, Payne and Ramsey each had two hits. Streeter had the only RBI.

Coach Jim Eftink had this to say after the game, "It’s always tough to lose but hopefully we learned something valuable from the loss. I think before this game we were getting a little complacent.  We were kinda just going through the motions—coasting along and taking things for granted. But then we met up with a team that wasn’t scared of us and outplayed us in all phases of the game.  I think you’ll see a sense of urgency the next time we take the field. Park Hills is a very good team and you have to bring your 'A' game if you want to beat them.  When we gave up those five runs in the first inning, it took us out of our game—it’s always tough playing from behind."

The Eagles were playing their second game in a row without Leah Cauble who is out with an injury.  Cauble was batting .647 with one home run and nine RBIs.   We hope to find out more about her tomorrow.

Oran fell to 5-1 with the loss to the district opponent.

Oran hosts Advance on Thursday at 4:30.


2 comments:

  1. Why would you commit on a player that is hurt and not focus on the players that played the games!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Let me respond in three ways. First, I felt it was newsworthy. Secondly, there are 17 paragraphs in the post and only one mentions the injured player. Thirdly, if you don't like mine, start your own, anonymous.

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