Cougars roll past Trojans, 12-2
Michael Lindsay | HPE
WALLBURG -With several of their top players out because of injuries, the High Point Christian and Wesleyan Christian softball teams were challenged to step up.
The Cougars handled it a little better, particularly in the late innings when they exploded for 10 straight runs, to beat the rival Trojans 12-2 in six innings Thursday at Wallburg Baptist Church in PACIS 2A/3A play.
"They just stayed with the process," HPCA coach Jeremy Cecil said. "Read the pitch, wait for something to hit. We finally got patient at the plate, and that paid off for us. And it was great to see our whole team get involved, instead of just a player here or a player there - it was players all the way through. ...
"These are the caliber teams we've been playing all year. We try to schedule tough teams so that when we get to conference and states then we're used to playing in that environment. So, I was very proud of them, considering we had one senior out and this is a very young team."
Hadley Coats went 3 for 3 with an RBI, while Grace Young went 3 for 4 with an RBI to help lead the Cougars (5-2, 1-0 PACIS), who were without shortstop Lindsay Cecil after she suffered a concussion over the weekend.
Raegan Thompson and Ashlyn Kennedy also each had two doubles and three RBIs, while Kirsten Hart had two RBIs. Kennedy (5-2) picked up the complete-game win, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Reagan Bray and Reagan Neal each had a hit for Wesleyan (6-2, 1-1 PACIS), which was without pitcher Kayla Brewer (sore hip and shoulder) and catcher Katie Bailiff (rolled ankle). Both players were injured in practice Wednesday.
Anna Robichaud (1-1), with no pitching replacement available, took the loss.
"We can't take anything from them," Trojans coach Donald Brewer said. "They hit the ball and got on us. They made a mistake that gave us two runs, and we kind of did the same thing and gave them right back. The two out were probably my two best players, but we're still good enough that we should've competed.
"I told the girls that this is a good growing time. It's only going to make us better. When you step up there with some pressure on you, then it'll be easier when the other two come back. But it'll just be two to three weeks and they'll both be back in the lineup when we need them."
Wesleyan, after HPCA scored single runs in the second and fourth, tied it 2-2 in the top of the fifth with two runs off a misplayed infield popup. But then the Cougars responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth and six in the sixth to end it.
Thompson keyed the rally with a bases-clearing double to right-center with one out in the fifth to give HPCA a 5-2 lead. Then, she scored on an RBI single up the middle by Hart to give the Cougars a 6-2 lead heading to the sixth.
"We just all kept encouraging each other," Thompson said. "That's a big part of this team. We're always encouraging each other, keeping each other up. So, I was really proud of how we all rallied and everyone picked each other up. Whether it was laying down a bunt or hitting a home run, everyone did their part.
"I just knew going up to bat," she said of her double, "that I just needed to focus on my swing. I didn't need to do anything special - just hit it. I'm just really thankful that my teammates were on base so that I was able to hit them in. It felt really great. My team was really excited about it. So, it was great to put us back on top."
HPCA, which sent 17 batters to the plate over the two innings, then put runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth. Young, Hart and Maddie Faulkner had RBIs, and Kennedy cleared the bases with a double to right to end the game.
Wesleyan next plays Saturday against Gaston Christian and East Rutherford at Gaston Christian, while the Cougars play again Tuesday at home against Forsyth Country Day.
Michael Lindsay | HPE
WALLBURG -With several of their top players out because of injuries, the High Point Christian and Wesleyan Christian softball teams were challenged to step up.
The Cougars handled it a little better, particularly in the late innings when they exploded for 10 straight runs, to beat the rival Trojans 12-2 in six innings Thursday at Wallburg Baptist Church in PACIS 2A/3A play.
"They just stayed with the process," HPCA coach Jeremy Cecil said. "Read the pitch, wait for something to hit. We finally got patient at the plate, and that paid off for us. And it was great to see our whole team get involved, instead of just a player here or a player there - it was players all the way through. ...
"These are the caliber teams we've been playing all year. We try to schedule tough teams so that when we get to conference and states then we're used to playing in that environment. So, I was very proud of them, considering we had one senior out and this is a very young team."
Hadley Coats went 3 for 3 with an RBI, while Grace Young went 3 for 4 with an RBI to help lead the Cougars (5-2, 1-0 PACIS), who were without shortstop Lindsay Cecil after she suffered a concussion over the weekend.
Raegan Thompson and Ashlyn Kennedy also each had two doubles and three RBIs, while Kirsten Hart had two RBIs. Kennedy (5-2) picked up the complete-game win, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven.
Reagan Bray and Reagan Neal each had a hit for Wesleyan (6-2, 1-1 PACIS), which was without pitcher Kayla Brewer (sore hip and shoulder) and catcher Katie Bailiff (rolled ankle). Both players were injured in practice Wednesday.
Anna Robichaud (1-1), with no pitching replacement available, took the loss.
"We can't take anything from them," Trojans coach Donald Brewer said. "They hit the ball and got on us. They made a mistake that gave us two runs, and we kind of did the same thing and gave them right back. The two out were probably my two best players, but we're still good enough that we should've competed.
"I told the girls that this is a good growing time. It's only going to make us better. When you step up there with some pressure on you, then it'll be easier when the other two come back. But it'll just be two to three weeks and they'll both be back in the lineup when we need them."
Wesleyan, after HPCA scored single runs in the second and fourth, tied it 2-2 in the top of the fifth with two runs off a misplayed infield popup. But then the Cougars responded with four runs in the bottom of the fifth and six in the sixth to end it.
Thompson keyed the rally with a bases-clearing double to right-center with one out in the fifth to give HPCA a 5-2 lead. Then, she scored on an RBI single up the middle by Hart to give the Cougars a 6-2 lead heading to the sixth.
"We just all kept encouraging each other," Thompson said. "That's a big part of this team. We're always encouraging each other, keeping each other up. So, I was really proud of how we all rallied and everyone picked each other up. Whether it was laying down a bunt or hitting a home run, everyone did their part.
"I just knew going up to bat," she said of her double, "that I just needed to focus on my swing. I didn't need to do anything special - just hit it. I'm just really thankful that my teammates were on base so that I was able to hit them in. It felt really great. My team was really excited about it. So, it was great to put us back on top."
HPCA, which sent 17 batters to the plate over the two innings, then put runners on first and second with no outs in the sixth. Young, Hart and Maddie Faulkner had RBIs, and Kennedy cleared the bases with a double to right to end the game.
Wesleyan next plays Saturday against Gaston Christian and East Rutherford at Gaston Christian, while the Cougars play again Tuesday at home against Forsyth Country Day.