Lady Eagles drop home-opening doubleheader


 

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

Though the Dyersburg State softball team took a lead into the seventh in both contests on Monday during their home opening doubleheader against Lakeland College, the Lady Eagles dropped a pair of contests by scores of 11-6 and 10-4.

Game 1: Lakeland College 11, Dyersburg State 6

Dyersburg State took a one-run lead into the final inning before a six-run top of the seventh by Lakeland doomed the Lady Eagles to a loss in the opening game of the doubleheader.

Lakeland got on the board in the top of the first with a one-run triple from Paige Collie. Collie then scored on an error to put the Lady Lakers up 2-0 after a half inning.

The Lakers tacked on a run in the top of the second with a sacrifice fly from Kaylie Brake to extend their lead to 3-0 after an inning and a half.

The Lady Eagles looked to get on the board in the bottom of the second as Chloe Jones, Keaton Wheeler and Katelynn Cotton all drew walks to lead off the inning and load the bases. After a strikeout, Dyersburg State was able to get on the board with a fielder’s choice by Mallory Vellotta. Kyla Miller then reached on an error to cut the Lakeland lead to 3-2 after two innings.

The Lady Eagles rallied in the bottom of the fifth with one out as Jada Miller drew a walk then advanced to third on a Madyson Lanier double. Both Lady Eagles then came home on a two-run single by Emme Bullington. Chloe Jones then tripled in a run then scored on a Wheeler single to give the Lady Eagles a three-run lead.

The Lakers got one of those runs back in the top of the sixth as Cassie Feld homered to left to cut the Lady Eagles lead to two runs with one out. A walk by Erin Athloff and a double by Kierra Johnson followed leading to an RBI groundout by Macy Pries to cut it to a 6-5 game before Bullington struck out the final batter looking to get out of the frame with a one-run lead.

The Lakers continued their rally in the top of the seventh, getting a walk from Alison Pangburn and a single by Noemye Letendre to put two on with no out. Paige Collie reached on an error to score the tying run before Feld struck again, this time with a two-run double to put Lakeland on top. Macy Pries singled in a run to put the Lakers up 9-6 before Logan Lillard added a two-run single to an 11-6 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Dyersburg State managed only one base runner in the bottom of the frame before the Lakers clinched the win.

Miller led the way at the plate for the Lady Eagles with a single and a double with an RBI.

Bullington took the loss in the first game, allowing eight runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings of work.

 

Game 2: Lakeland 10, Dyersburg State 4, 11 innings

In a game that took 11 innings to decide, the Lakers scored six times to propel themselves to the extra inning win.

Dyersburg State picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Miller led off the frame with a walk then Keaton Wheeler singled to put two on with no one out. But, a grounder and a strikeout looked set to get the Lakers out of the inning without giving up a run. Jada Moore came through with two outs, doubling in two runs before being thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. The hit gave the Lady Eagles a 2-0 lead after three innings.

The Lady Eagles looked to pick up a run or two in the fourth when Katelynn Cotton was hit by a pitch and Madyson Morton drew a walk with one out. But, a line out off the pitcher’s glove to the second baseman resulted in a double play to get the Lakers out of the inning still trailing by two.

Lakeland looked to pull even in top of the fifth with two on and one out but a groundout and a strikeout got the Lady Eagles out of the jam with the two-run lead in tact.

A pair of two-out walks in the top of the sixth proved costly for Dyersburg State as a Karah Moore single plated a run and cut the Lady Eagle lead in half. Kierra Johnson followed with an RBI single to tie the game before a grounder to third ended the frame with the game tied at 2-2.

The Lady Eagles answered in the bottom of the frame. A single by Chanley Price was followed by another single from Morton two batters later to give DSCC two on with one out. Allie Shires then reached on an error off the first baseman’s glove to plate a run. After Miller drew a walk, the Lakers were able to get out of the bases-loaded jam with an infield fly and a ground out trailing 3-2.

But, the Lakers had an answer in the top of the seventh as Pries was hit by a pitch then scored on a Lillard triple to tie the game again. Lillard was tagged out trying to score on a Kaylie Brake fielder’s choice then a pop out gave Dyersburg State two outs before a liner to center ended the Lakeland threat with the game tied at 3-3.

Laker reliever Brake and the Lakeland defense retired Dyersburg State in order to send the game into extra innings.

Dyersburg State and reliever Emme Bullington worked around a pair of singles to get out of the top of the eighth.

The Lady Eagles only managed a two-out walk by Shires before the inning ended with a strikeout sending the game into the ninth, still tied at 3-3.

In the top of the ninth, Lillard led off the frame with a single then stole second early in the next at bat. A ground out put Lillard on third with one out. Bullington struck the next batter out then walked Feld with two outs. Letendre then followed with an RBI single to put the Lakers on top. A lineout to right ended the frame with Lakeland up 4-3 going into the bottom of the ninth.

The Lady Eagles got a break to start the bottom of the ninth as Keaton Wheeler reached on an error then advanced to second on the same play. She was then lifted for courtesy runner Mallory Velotta who advanced to third on a Chloe Jones bunt. With two outs, Velotta scored on a passed ball to tie the game. But, a flyout ended the ninth inning tied at 4-4.

With the international rule in play, the Dyersburg State defense was able to get three outs without allowing the runner at second to score sending the game to the bottom of the tenth still tied.

The Lady Eagles looked to end things in the bottom of the tenth as a sacrifice bunt by Cotton moved Price to third. A pair of walks loaded the bases but a line out and a ground out ended the frame with the game still tied at 4-4.

Lillard came up with a one-run double in the top of the 11th to give the Lakers the lead with no outs. Brake then reached on an error to give Lakeland a pair of runners on with no outs. A sacrifice fly by Collie plated another run then a bloop single from Feld scored another. Moore singled in another run then a Pries two-run double gave Lakeland a 10-4 lead into the bottom of the 11th.

Dyersburg State was able to load the bases but could not push a run across as the Lakers clinched the win with a groundout to first.

Bullington led the way at the plate for the Lady Eagles with two singles.

Bullington took the loss in relief for the Lady Eagles.

The Lady Eagles return to action on Tuesday when Dyersburg State hosts John A. Logan College at noon.

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