L-E victorious over PG
Timely hitting made all the difference in a cross-town rivalry game.
Liberty-Eylau put up three runs in the seventh and defeated Pleasant Grove, 5-2, in a District 15-4A softball game at Lady Hawk Field on Tuesday.
“This team keeps bearing down,” Lady Leopard head coach Kendra Cullum said. “We keep using our speed, and that is what we will continue to do. We have a lot of fighters.
“We have a lot of upperclassmen who are used to being in situations, and they are prevailing. It’s a cross-town rivalry, so I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Isabella Gunderson earned the win for Liberty-Eylau. Gunderson gave up two runs on eight hits and walked one.
“We continue to be Isabella in situations, and she just keeps coming through,” Cullum said. “She’s a senior and she is taking everything in stride.
Both teams played on even terms in the fifth and sixth innings.
“We left too many runners on base,” Lady Hawk head coach Becca Collom said. “When we needed a hit, we just didn’t get that breakthrough. We got hits, but we just couldn’t string the together.”
Kayla Norris hit a leadoff single through the hole at shortstop, Keeley Norris beat out the throw to first for a single, and Williamson walked to juice the bases for Liberty-Eylau in the seventh.
Tamara Norris hit an RBI sacrifice fly to left center to give the Leopards a 3-1 cushion. A batter later, Tyrah Venable beat out a throw for an RBI single to make it 4-1. Williamson scored on a fielder’s choice to give L-E an insurance run.
With an out in the bottom of the seventh, Hanna Synder slapped a single to right center. Hanna Snyder scored on a double steal attempt. Liberty-Eylau recorded the out at second base for the second out.
The game ended when the Leopards’ third baseman Savannah Phelps fielded a ground ball and touched third for a force out.
Liberty-Eylau (12-5, 2-0) hosts Paris on Friday, while Pleasant Grove (6-10, 0-2) plays at Pittsburg.
McKenzye Williamson drove in Keeley Norris, who had singled, for the Leopards’ first run of the game.
Hanna Snyder walked, moved up to second on Kaylee Kelley’s sacrifice bunt, and
landed on third after a fielder’s choice for the Hawks. A ground ball ended Pleasant Grove’s scoring threat in the first frame.
Tamara Norris singled and stole second for Liberty-Eylau in the second inning. Alyssa Littles walked to put two on with an out in the second. Norris and Littles each moved up a base on a fielder’s choice. Lexi Snyder induced a ground ball to end the Leopards’ chance for runs.
Zoe Smith, who went 2 for 3 for Pleasant Grove, hit an RBI single down the third base line to score Emily Hilton to knot the game at 1-all. Hilton singled on a Texas Leaguer that sailed over the second baseman’s head.
Phelps smacked an RBI double to right center to put the Leopards ahead, 2-1, in the fourth frame. Laila Pegue, who had singled with a Texas Leaguer, scored on Phelps’ double.
Lexi Snyder took the loss in the circle for the Hawks.
Liberty-Eylau 100 100 3 — 5 15 1 Pleasant Grove 010 000 1 — 2 8 1 Isabella Gunderson and Tamara Norris. Lexi Snyder and Zoe Smith. WP-Gunderson. LP-Snyder.