Community R-6 knew it would have a young softball team this season.
The Lady Trojans also knew there would be some bumps along the road and hit one of those bumps on Thursday in an 11-6 …
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Community R-6 knew it would have a young softball team this season.
The Lady Trojans also knew there would be some bumps along the road and hit one of those bumps on Thursday in an 11-6 home-opening loss to Hermann. Community fought back from a 5-1 deficit to tie the game at 5 and then at 6 to send the game to extra innings only for some of its eight errors to decide the game.
Head coach Jeff Angel said Community (2-4) didn’t do the little things for a win against Hermann (2-3), including tallying 11 strikeouts and six or seven failed bunt attempts. The eight errors are a season-high, and they gave way to seven unearned runs. The Lady Trojans have five underclassmen, including four freshmen in Thursday’s starting lineup.
“We knew going into the season we were going to take our lumps,” Angel said. “Anytime you ask freshmen to play at the varsity level, you’re playing 17-18-year-old kids. This game is a lot faster than they’re used to. You’re going to have growing pains, but the good thing about playing freshmen early is they’re going to mature a lot more through the season.”
Freshman Ana McLeod tied the game at 5 in the sixth inning with a RBI double the opposite way down the left-field line, and freshman Maci Poindexter scored after three passed balls to tie the game at 6 in the seventh inning. Hermann exploited the Community defense after taking an 8-6 lead with three straight sacrifice bunts to lead to two more errors and three more runs.
On a Hermann RBI single to left field in the eighth inning, Community allowed one more run on the play on a rundown between third base and home plate. Angel said the Lady Trojans can do better on this play and all of the errors with some more repetitions during practice and games.
“We got exposed there a little bit,” Angel said. “Usually, we’re really good at covering that. We work on that at practice, too.”
Community’s ace pitcher Jocelyn Curtis ran into some “buzzsaws” early this season, Angel said, but did a lot better against Hermann. The senior allowed three earned runs on seven hits and two walks and had five strikeouts in eight innings.
Curtis didn’t walk a batter until the sixth inning and that was her first 3-0 count on a night she stayed ahead of the hitters. Angel said Curtis has been staying ahead of hitters this season, which is what is best for the Lady Trojans.
"She does a good job of getting ahead in the count," Angel said. "We preach a lot to get ahead in the count, and that makes it a lot better on the defense."
The No. 9 hitter McLeod had her best varsity game so far against Hermann by going 3-for-3 with two runs and the key RBI double in the fifth inning. After narrowly missing fair territory and a teammate at third base, McLeod tied the game with a two-out hit.
McLeod glided into second base easily on that play. She wasn’t thrown out at first base either with a bunt single that turned into the team’s first run in the third inning and an infield single that started a three-run fifth inning for the Lady Trojans. McLeod’s speed gave Community a chance for victory.
“It’s really important,” McLeod said. “I needed to be fast. I’m the fastest (on the team) by a little bit. Natali’s (Sommer) pretty quick. We go back and forth every year.”
Angel said McLeod is a talented freshman who fits well with Community’s plans.
“Ana is probably our fastest girl on the team,” Angel said. “She is a key weapon to the small ball game with incredible speed. Once she gets it down, not very many people throw her out.”
Angel listed teams such as Silex — whom Community plays at 5 p.m. Thursday on the road — and Cairo as examples of challenges they have in the near future. He said the Lady Trojans will need to mature against tough competition.
“From now, we’re going to run into really good teams,” Angel said. “It doesn’t get any better. We’ve got to buckle in and get ready for a long ride.”
Community R-6 defeats district foe Clopton, loses to Marceline
Two days after its home opener, Community R-6 picked up its second victory over the district team.
The Lady Trojans defeated Clopton 5-2 and then lost 6-3 to Marceline in a Saturday triangular at Clopton in Clarksville. Maci Poindexter and Jocelyn each went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a double against Clopton while Curtis pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts, seven hits, four walks and two runs. Peyton Schafer was 3-for-3 with two runs and a double and had all of the team’s hits against Marceline while Myla Carroll pitched seven innings with seven hits, three walks, three strikeouts and two earned runs.
