The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Sailors cruise in twin bill sweep
Offense erupts for big innings in both games
It took a bit for Vermilion to get its offense going. Once the Sailors did, there was no stopping them.
The host Sailors were held scoreless for the first four innings of the first game, but then exploded for 15 runs in the next two innings for a 15-3 win. The offense kept the momentum going with a six-run second inning in the second game to complete the sweep with an 11-1 five-inning win.
“Just adjusting to pitching is difficult,” Vermilion coach Bill Matthews said.
“It took us a bit to get going. They (Lorain) played good defense.
“Defensively I thought we played real solid. We didn’t panic in situations … the kids played well defensively, which is what we have been working on and stressing.”
Lorain (2-2) held a 2-0 lead after Talia Harris (three hits in the first game) scored in the first inning and drove in a run in the third inning. But things changed rapidly in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Sending 11 batters to the plate in the inning, Vermilion (5-1) scored six times on six hits. Destiny Grim had a two-run single, while Calli Brown, Erica Eschenauer and Maggie Hoffman each had RBI in the inning.
The Titans sliced the deficit to 6-3 in the sixth inning and had the bases loaded with one out. But Jordan Dudek got the final two outs of the inning to thwart the rally. Vermilion capitalized by scoring five runs in the bottom of
the sixth.
The clincher came on Eschenauer’s double to right-center to clear the bases.
“We just adjusted,” Vermilion senior shortstop Brown said. “Some of us players cracked down on everyone and they listened. We just adjusted and helped everyone out.
“We feed off each other’s energy a lot.”
Much like the first game, the Titans got on the board first in the second game. But Vermilion didn’t wait as long as they did in the first game.
They scored two runs in the first inning before breaking out in the second inning.
Taking advantage of a few walks, the Sailors built their lead. Eschenauer singled to drive home a run and Grim grounded out to bring home another. Brown doubled for an RBI, while Hoffman tripled to right to drive home two more and give them an 8-1 lead.
Vermilion tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third and held the Titans scoreless to complete the sweep.
Hoffman got the win in the first game to improve to 4-0 on the year. In the second game, Tori Sooy came in the second inning and pitched four shutout innings for her first win of the season.
Though the outcome wasn’t what she was hoping for, Lorain coach Pam Jackson was pleased for the most part.
“They had to compete and I think they forgot how to compete especially at the plate,” Jackson said. “Defensively they played well. Offensively they did well, however I think we just watch too many strikes go across the plate without being aggressive.
“They played well and did better than what I expected.”
Just five games into his tenure at Vermilion, Matthews is satisfied with what his team is doing.
“It’s just a progress, keep moving forward,” Matthews said. “They’re doing what we are asking them to do and we are happy with their efforts.”