|
|
» 1A » Sports » City | Region » Health | Family » Communities » Free Time » Weekender » Faith | Values » Inside | Out » A la carte » Arts + Life |
HeraldLeaderPhoto.com
 | |
 | |
| »
View slideshows by Herald-Leader photographers including The Week in Pictures Sports Staff Portfolios and more! | |
|
 |
The old Lafayette might not have bounced back so easily or effortlessly.
The old Lafayette might have let its three errors and two runs in the first inning bother it the entire game.
But not the new Lafayette.
The No. 19 Lady Generals bounced back and blasted No. 22 Henry Clay 8-2, avenging an earlier loss this season to the Devils.
"That shows how much we've grown as a team and how much confidence we have in each other," senior Bailey Dillender said. "All nine of us out there believe in each other now."
It took all nine of them to come from behind and win on three runs in the second, three more in the fourth -- all scored on a Dillender double that stayed in the park after hitting the top of the wall -- and two more in the fifth inning.
A few weeks ago, the Generals fell to this same Henry Clay team 3-2, but they have bounced back and won six of seven since then.
They have avenged losses in that span to No. 10 Dunbar and now the Devils (18-12).
"It's just all finally clicked," said Dillender, who went 2-for-4. "We started with a lot of young people without a lot of experience, but we've come a long way, and things are finally coming together for us."
Cassidy Taylor, who allowed two hits in the blunder-filled first inning, rebounded and allowed just one more runner to get on base the rest of the way. Kylee Johnson relieved her in the sixth and didn't give up a hit.
"Both of our pitchers were pretty strong and pitching well," Coach Dana Taylor said.
Taylor, the freshman pitcher, struck out five in five innings. She said she didn't get rattled after a bad first inning.
"It bothers you a little bit, but I know my team's going to back me up and pull through for me," she said.
In the second, the Generals (20-11) stormed back, going ahead 3-2 on Alyssa Oakley's line-drive single to left field.
"We let our heads get down on that, and we fell to pieces," Henry Clay Coach Tricia Crowe said. "We can't allow that to happen.
"We didn't make the plays, and they did."
Dillender's bases-clearing double in the fourth scored three and gave the Generals a 6-2 lead. Lafayette used small ball to set up its big hitter, bunting three straight times. Lauren Mitchell and Brittany Sims both reached first with singles to start the inning, and Caroline Snyder was safe on a fielder's choice.
In the fifth, Brittany Bray, pinch running for Samantha Youngblood, scored on a Devils error, and a Snyder double drove in Sims.
Youngblood had three singles for the Generals, who had 11 hits, including at least one from every spot in the lineup except two.
"We've really worked on offense, and we've talked about having more confidence in the batter's box," Dana Taylor said. "Hopefully, it's all coming at the right time."
Henry Clay 200 000 0--2 3 3
Lafayette 030 320 x--8 11 3
Karneisha Johnson and Campbell Query. Cassidy Taylor, Kylee Johnson (6) and Heather Oakley. W--Taylor. L--Ka. Johnson. 2B--HC: Grossman; L: Dillender, Snyder.
