Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Providence Blanks Lady Wolves
LINCOLN — Starter Paige Umberson went the distance, allowing 2 runs on 5 hits with 9 strike-outs but didn’t get enough run support as Lincoln lost 2-0 to Providence Academy March 11.
The Lady Wolves could only muster 3 hits in 24 at-bats, an average of .125. They did get on base 4 times via walks, but left 7 runners stranded during the shutout. Kinley Webb went 2-for-3 with a double. Umberson (1-for-3) had the only other hit for Lincoln. Webb also contributed a pair of stolen bases and Tiana Anderson stole one.
Providence took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and that proved enough to pick up the win.
Lincoln’s best chance to score came in the bottom of the fourth. Umberson led off and fouled off two 0-2 pitches to stay alive. She then made contact and was ruled safe at first when a throw was a little off, causing Providence’s first baseman’s foot to come off the bag momentarily. Webb followed that up by singling into right field which advanced Umberson to third.
Sophomore Chloe Dawson walked to load the bases for Lincoln with no outs, but potential runs were left on the field when the next three batters were retired in order starting with a pop-up that was caught by Providence’s catcher off a bunt attempt. Back-to-back strike-outs, the first on a called strike three off a 1-2 pitch, ended the inning.
When junior Morgan Coker-Gage came up in the bottom of the fifth, Lincoln coach Beau Collins reminded her of the urgency.
“You need to get them started,” Collins yelled from the dugout.
But Lincoln batters fell behind in the count.
Coker-Gage went down swinging and Alex Torres popped up to the catcher. Both outs came on an 0-2 pitch.
Anderson became the third straight Lady Wolf to fall behind 0-2. She fought back by fouling off the next pitch, then coolly took 4 straight balls and walked to first.
Umberson broke the trend with a quality at-bat taking ball 3 on a wild pitch that allowed Anderson to get to third before grounding out.