Lindsay O’Dell had two home runs and drove in five runs, and Alyssa Ortiz homered and drove in two more as the Diamond Lady Ducks collected their 11th win of the season with a 9-2 hammering against the Jarrell Lady Cougars last Tuesday, March 22 at home.
After shutting Jarrell down to open the game on strikeouts, the Lady Duck offense went to work. Kennan Nunamaker led off with a single. A sacrifice bunt by Mackenzie Watson moved Kennan Nunamaker in scoring position at second base. Kayshawna Fields then came on to run for Kennan Nunamaker. Fields would score on a passed ball during O’Dell’s at-bat to give the Lady Ducks a 1-0 lead.
O’Dell then followed with a single to left field. Molli Kennick would enter to pinch run for O’Dell. With a 2-0 count, Ortiz sent a shot over center field as Taylor increased their lead 3-0. Kayleigh Page then reached base with a walk but advanced no further than first base before the Lady Ducks half of the inning closed.
Jarrell finally got their first baserunner in the top of the fourth inning when O’Dell surrendered a walk, which would prove costly as the Lady Cougars would eventually score their first run, cutting the lead to 3-1.
In the Lady Ducks' fifth inning, Taylor poured on more scoring. Kennan Nunamaker doubled to center field. Fields again entered to pinch run. Watson laid down a second sacrifice bunt that moved Fields to third base. O’Dell then came to bat. With the count even 1-1 drove the ball over center field adding two more runs to the Lady Ducks lead, 5-1. Page stepped up and walked for the second time. A’ja Lucas then doubled Page home extending the Taylor lead to 6-1.
Jarrell threatened for a big inning in the top of the sixth but only scored once to trim the lead to 6-2.
Camryn Nunamaker led off with a single in the Taylor sixth inning. Emma Whitsel then reached first base on four pitches drawing a walk, while Camryn Nunamaker stole second and third base. Whitsel would wipe second and third base during Watson’s at-bat. Camryn Nunamaker, unfortunately, was caught trying to swipe home.
Watson singled to right field to drive home Whitsel and extend the lead to 7-2. O’Dell then unloaded her second home run of the night with a moonshot over the left-field wall, pushing the Taylor advantage to 9-2.
Lindsay O’Dell finished the night 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBIs. O’Dell also went the distance pitching to surrender just two hits and strikeout 14 bringing her strikeout total to 128 in 11 appearances.
The Lady Ducks have now won eight straight games and are undefeated in March at 11-2 overall and 2-0 in district play. Taylor was on the road Friday night as they traveled to take on Lake Belton. They wrap up March on Tuesday, March 29, with a home contest against Burnet.
