GRANGER – The Granger Lady Lions played their first home district game of the season Tuesday, Mar. 7, against the Holland Hornets.
The Lady Lions would flex their muscles against the Hornets, ending the game because of the mercy rule 14-3 in just the sixth inning.
“I’d give them an A. They played really well tonight,” Lady Lions head softball coach Jennifer Fudge said. “We still have a few things to clean up defensively, but overall, I thought we played really well tonight.”
The first two innings were tightly contested between the two teams with a 1-1 game at the end of the second. Pitching for the Lady Lions was a prominent factor in the second inning, when junior Payton Filla hit her stride on the mound.
“Payton is one of those players that loves to compete,” Fudge said. “The start to the game was a little rough, but she worked her way back and really showed off how talented and special she is on the mound.”
The third inning saw the Lady Lions’ offense begin to find a rhythm.
The Lady Lions scored two runs in the second inning to give themselves a 3-1 lead heading into the fourth inning. The Hornets would respond with a run of their own to put pressure on the Lady Lions’ lead.
With a 3-2 lead, the Lady Lions entered the bottom of the fourth inning looking to extend their lead and did exactly that. The Lady Lions’ offense would again show up in a big way as junior Montana Moore hit a double, which brought home another run for her team, but that was just the start.
After Moore’s double, the Lady Lions’ next two batters would be walked to load the bases. Lady Lions senior Mattie Wilkie then stepped up to the plate looking to make a big impact.
Wilkie made contact with the ball, and as it flew through the air fans started to buzz. As the ball sailed over the fence the crowd erupted. Wilkie’s grand slam increased her team’s lead to 8-2.
“She was struggling at the plate the past couple of games, so to see her get a grand slam tonight is awesome,” Fudge said. “Mattie is so important to this group. I mean, she is our field general behind the plate and really controls our infield back there, and she is just as important on the offensive side.”
The Hornets would lock down the field for the rest of the inning and get three outs to go back on offense. Holland responded again with a run, but the Lady Lions’ defense would swarm and get out of the top of the inning with an 8-3 lead.
The Lady Lions added three more runs in the fifth and sixth inning including three-run home run from freshman Abigail Crouch to seal the game.
The Lady Lions picked up a big win against the Hornets and were on the road Friday, March 10, as they traveled to play Bremond.
