It was another tough day for the Western Boone Stars softball team Monday afternoon, March 26, against Zionsville.
Zionsville broke open a close game with five runs in the third inning and cruised to a 10-3 win.
“It was nice to see the girls come out with some spark,” Zionsville head coach Lori Esparza said. “They were aggressive from the start and were executing some of the stuff we have been working on.”
For Western Boone, it was another tough loss to a Hoosier Crossroads Conference opponent.
The Stars opened the season with three contests against the 4A schools, being out-scored 29-9 in the games. Head coach Todd Clark said that they haven’t played that poorly, they just have made some mental and physical errors at the wrong time.
“We played pretty well overall,” Clark said. “Again we had some mental stuff — let them take extra bases when we shouldn’t have and had a few errors — and that hurt us. We hit the ball pretty well for the most part too.
“We are using these games to find things we need to work on — work on fundamentals and position stuff. We want to get the focus back on what we do best, which is defense.”
Kalene Davis put the Eagles up 1-0 in the top of the second inning with a solo home run to center. Zionsville survived a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom half of the inning and then broke it open in the third.
Bethie Sum singled and scored on a double by Sarah Lawrence. Bri Wagner drove home Lawrence and she moved up to second on a single by Kenzie Anderson.
After a walk to Davis loaded the bases, Wagner scored on a wild pitch and Anderson scored when Meghan Brooks reached on an error.
Alea Hocutt drove in the final run three batters later, driving in Brooks.
“I really wanted them to get on early in the count,” Esparza said.
“That was the biggest thing. I didn’t want them battling from behind.”
Western Boone came back in the third. Jenna Thomas led off with a triple and Hannah Williams followed with a walk.
The Stars executed a perfect double steal to score Thomas, and Williams later scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-2.
But any momentum Western Boone had quickly went away.
Wagner led off the fourth with a double and scored on an Anderson single. Zionsville then loaded the bases with one out and scored on a single by Hocutt and a wild pitch.
An RBI-single by Davis made it 10-2 in the fifth, and Western Boone added an unearned run in the fifth to end the scoring.
Wagner and Anderson led the Eagles offense with three hits each.
Davis and Hocutt each had two.
Wagner was also strong on the mound, pitching a complete game six hitter. She struck out seven.
“She did great; it was her first game pitching,” Esparza said. “She did really well with both sides of the plate. She was excellent at keeping it low. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
Williams and Thomas each had two hits. Bridget Wiley and Lydia Climer also had singles for the Stars.
Clarkwas especially pleased with Thomas’ effort from the nine spot in the order.
“If she keeps hitting like that, she is going to move up in the order,”
Clarksaid. “I do like her down there because right after she hits, I have the top of the order coming up. I don’t look at it as the bottom of the order is our worst hitters. She has done a great job since the first game. I am very proud of her.”
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