By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director
SPRING GARDEN – The Sand Rock Lady Wildcats came off a nine-day spring break on Monday at Spring Garden, but they picked up where they left off from the first half of the softball season.
Even though their streak for holding opponents scoreless came to an end at five games, Sand Rock still earned a 4-2 victory to improve to 21-6 on the season.
The Class 2A, No. 3 Lady Wildcats struck for three first-inning runs, all with two outs off Spring Garden sophomore pitcher Lilly McCain.
Jadyn Foster got things going with a single to right and an intentional walk to EllaGrace Hood, Sherina Foster smacked a two-run double to center. Aliyah King then connected on a single to left to bring Sherina Foster home for a 3-0 lead.
“That was big to get those three runs early,” Sand Rock coach Josh Bates said. “I knew they were going to be scrappy and play hard today because they’re a good team. They fight tooth and nail. That made a huge difference in the ball game, us getting those three runs early with two outs. It ended up being the difference in the game.”
“We left too many runners on base and just couldn’t get that timely hit,” Spring Garden assistant coach Stephanie Steward said. “Our defense gave up those three runs with two outs on two errors in the first inning. We have to make sure we aren’t giving up so many unearned runs.”
Another big difference for Sand Rock was starting pitcher Jadyn Foster. She baffled the Lady Panther hitters through three innings, allowing just a walk to Kayley Kirk.
Bates decided to switch things up on Class 1A, No. 10 Spring Garden (6-7) in the bottom of the fourth inning by inserting Hood in the circle. Spring Garden managed to score an unearned run off Hood in the inning. Helena Ingram delivered a single to center with one our for the Lady Panthers’ first hit of the game. She later scored on a wild pitch to make it a 3-1 game.
“Helena has been seeing the ball well,” Steward said. “She goes to the plate knowing she is going to get a hit or at least be a hard out for the other team. I love her quick swing and her approach at the plate.”
The Lady Wildcats gained that run back in the top of the fifth when Hood doubled in Jadyn Foster, who walked with one out.
Spring Garden responded another run off Hood in the bottom of the fifth. The Lady Panthers loaded the bases with two outs with Ingram back at the plate. She delivered a bloop infield single to bring home a run and make it a 4-2 game. Hood recovered by getting Maggie Jarrett to pop up to her for the final out of the inning.
Bates went back to Jadyn Foster in the circle in the sixth and seventh innings. She danced around a pair of runners on in the seventh with one out, but struck out Kirk and got Ingram to pop out to second for the final.
“My thought process going in was we were going to rotate our pitchers back and forth, let them both get some work, let them both get back in the groove,” Bates said. “We had a few little hiccups (defensively), but I thought our defense for the most part did a good job playing behind our pitchers and getting outs when we needed them, and Jadyn did a good job coming back in and getting us the outs.”
Emma Sipsy and Sherina Foster had a pair of hits at the plate for the Lady Wildcats. Hood also had a double and walked twice. Jadyn Foster and King each added a hit. Jadyn Foster also walked.
Jadyn Foster earned the win after working five scoreless innings. She gave up an infield single to Madi Ham in the seventh and finished with eight strikeouts.
Helena Ingram and Madi Ham both had a pair of hits for the Lady Panthers. Maggie Reedy delivered a pinch-hit single in the fifth. Kirk walked twice and Avery Steward walked once.
McCain suffered the loss after working all seven innings. She scattered all four runs on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
“Lilly did a great job,” Steward said. “I can’t say enough about her work ethic off the field and her confidence on the mound. She has made herself better from last season and it has made a huge difference for our team.”
“She pitched really well and did a good job hitting her spots,” Bates said of McCain. “We’ve got to do a little better job of changing our approach after we see how a pitcher is throwing. We had some who made adjustments and some who didn’t. We’ve just got to keep working at it and try to get better every day.”
Monday’s game was a far cry from the last time the two teams played at Sand Rock. The Lady Wildcats earned a 15-0 win in three innings back on March 23.
“I was very proud of how the girls showed up and competed tonight. They are a very resilient team,” Steward said. “After the last time we played, I told them we had lots to work on and I was okay with that, but we couldn’t hang our heads and dwell on the loss. Since then, we have gotten a little better each time we have played. We just have to keep building on it.”
