Lady Eagles pound Puxico

On Monday, the Oran High School softball team traveled to Bernie to begin play in the Class one District 3 tournament.  The second-seeded Eagles faced the seventh-seeded Puxico Lady Indians. The game was scheduled to begin at 3pm but was delayed by an hour, as the previous games ran long.  It was worth the wait, however, as Oran jumped out to a 10-1 lead after the first inning and cruised to a 12-2 five-inning, mercy-rule win.

Puxico scored an unearned run in the top of the first on an error, a stolen base, a ground out and a sacrifice fly.

Oran sent 15 to the plate in their half of the inning had nine hits, was awarded two bases on balls and took advantage of six Puxico errors.  They started with five consecutive hits. Kaylie Payne, who got the start in the circle, had two doubles in the first and drove in two. 

The Eagles added single tallies in the third and fourth innings.

In the third, Puxico decided to pitch around Payne and walked her on four pitches and she then stole second on the first pitch to Leah Cauble.  She went to third on a passed ball and scored on a wild pitch.

The final Eagle run came when freshman catcher, Rylee Boshell reached second on an outfield error.  Mallory Lowes entered the game as a courtesy runner.  Taylor Lowes and Kennedi McVay walked to load the bases.  Payne picked up her third RBI on an infield ground out.

The other Puxico run came in the top of the fourth on three walks (one intentional) and a ground ball fielder's choice.

Payne (7-2) went the distance for Oran, who improved to 13-5.  She allowed two runs, only one earned on two hits, she walked six (one intentionally) and struck out three.  At the plate, she had two doubles and three runs driven in.  Samantha Welter had a double and two RBI.  Claire Ramsey had two hits, including a double, and drove in one.  Jessie Long had two hits and Boshell added a run driven in.

Coach Jim Eftink commented that his team "needed to play with the same intensity we had in the first inning.  After the first inning, it was a 2-2 game the rest of the way.  That won’t be good enough as we move forward because each opponent will be better."