Lady Rebels beat Potosi for sweep of MAAA first round
PARK HILLS – The Central Lady Rebels completed a 5-0 run of the six-team MAAA Conference first round by defeating the Potosi Lady Trojans 15-0 in four innings on Tuesday.
The Lady Rebels (7-1) posted eight runs in the second inning to give freshman starting pitcher Karissa Belfield the win. Belfield pitched the first two innings, yielding only two hits while striking out two. Junior Kylie House finished off the last two innings with four strike-outs to complete the shut-out.
Potosi’s errors cost them early, but not as much as it giving the Lady Rebels the momentum which they carried into a second inning outburst of eight runs.
Central’s fielding was stellar with the exception of a rushed throw on a short chopper in the second inning.
The Lady Trojans reached third base in both the first and second innings, but to no avail. Paige Battreal hit a two-out infield single, and she was able to reach third after taking off from first on a 3-2 count pitch as Ciara Kay hit a shot into the right-center. The throw to third was too late, but third baseman Hanna Stam alertly made the relay to second to catch Kay trying to advance on the play for the third out of the first inning.
A high throw to first on a bunted ball in the second inning allowed Abi Bourbon to reach safely, and she advanced to third after two wild pitches, but was stranded when Belfield induced a ground ball to Stam for the third out.
Mady Hart started her campaign of being best hitter in the game with a two-out single in the Lady Rebels first at bats. Hart stole second on the very next pitch and was able to score when Caitlyn Holmes drilled a line drive shot into short left. The ball was misplayed on its first hop and it continued on until it rolled under the outfield fence to stop Holmes’ progress at second.
Hart was 4-4 at the plate with three RBI and the only player in the game with multiple hits. Holmes was perfect as well, going 1-1 with two walks.
House beat out an infield single to lead off the second, and even though she was erased at third on a fielder’s choice, her hit keyed a string nine straight batters reaching base. The Lady Rebels took advantage of four free passes with key hits by Stam, Hart and Alexus Groom. Stam drove in two runs with a double for the only extra-base hit of the game. Hart drove in her first run with her second single, and Groom drove in two, also with a single with three runs scoring in the inning on wild pitches.
The Lady Rebels tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the third, and in the fourth, Hart came through with her fourth hit to drive in Stam for the game-ending run.
Central will play next on Thursday when they travel to Ste. Genevieve to start the second round of conference play.
Third baseman Hanna Stam makes a throw to first baseman Kylie House (22) for the second out of the game as Central pitcher Karissa Belfield (7) crouches to stay out of the way of the throw.
Central shortstop Mady Hart makes the tag on Potosi’s Ciara Kay for the third out of the first inning.
After fielding a sharply hit ground ball, Potosi’s pitcher Ciara Kay (6) makes good on a throw to third baseman Baylee Mercer for the force out.
Central’s Mady Hart connects in the third inning for her third single of the game. Hart hit a single in each of the four innings to go 4-4 with three RBI’s for the Lady Rebels.
