Softball team goes back-and-forth in first few games

by Chelsie Darrow

The Ladycat softball team started out the season with a bit of a struggle, as they dropped both ends of a double-header to North Central Pioneer, 7-1 and 7-6.

The ladies only accumulated one hit in the first game, a single by senior Marisa Hamilton. Junior Nicole Culbert took the loss on the mound, striking out three. The second game was much closer than the first affair, as the ladies had many chances to pull out the victory. Hamilton took the loss on the mound in the second game, punching out six batters on strikes. Sophomore Heather Mason, junior Amber Stump, and freshman Marissa McEathron got the hits for the Wildcats in the second game. “I think we could have worked a bit harder out there,” expressed Mason. “We needed to talk more to each other so we knew what was going on, but other than that I believe we will improve and start pulling out wins,” continued Heather.

Next up were the Waldron Spartans. The ladies lost both ends of that double-header as well. Even though the ladies had the home field advantage they still took a plunge in the first game, losing 6-0. Culbert took the loss on the mound again, as she struck out five. Hamilton smacked a single and a double for the first game to lead the hitters. The Wildcats lost the second game 9-6 behind Hamilton’s effort on the mound. Helping her own cause, Hamilton had two singles and a double. “As a team I think we need to realize our errors,” sophomore Keely Sanders explained. “We can correct what we did wrong and what we need to work on.”

The ladies traveled to Bellevue and split a pair with the host Broncos, losing the first game 13-2 and winning the second game 7-6. Hamilton took the loss on the mound in the first game, and freshman Samantha Cole led with a single. They won the second game 7-6 in extra innings. Culbert struck out 14 batters to lead the ‘Cats to a win. The players put their heads together and pulled through with one win so over all it was an okay night for the ladies. “In the first game we didn’t do as well as we could have and made quite a few errors, but in the second game we cleaned it up and won! In the second game the team worked really hard, and had good hits and very few errors,” commented sophomore Jade Smith.