By Al Stover 

Lady Broncos sweep Davenport, fall to Liberty in league battle

 

Last updated 4/19/2018 at Noon

TESSA O’BRIEN fields the ball during the Lady Broncos’ first game of a doubleheader against Liberty on April 14. The LRS team fell to the Lady Lancers 11-10 and 4-2 during the league match in Ritzville. -Journal photo by Katelin Davidson

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Lady Broncos softball team captured their first doubleheader sweep of the season on April 10 after they defeated Davenport, 10-0 and 12-6.

On April 14, LRS dropped both games in a doubleheader to Liberty, 11-10 and 4-2.

In game one against Davenport, the Lady Broncos went on a nine-run rally in the third inning, then added one insurance run in the fourth inning en route to ending the contest via the 10-run mercy rule.

Head Coach Todd O’Brien commended the Lady Broncos for 12 hits at the plate.

He added the team also played good defense against Davenport, which he referred to as a “middle of the road team,” in the Northeast 2B North conference.

In game two, the Lady Broncos once again jumped to a strong lead, scoring 11 runs in the first three innings. They added their final run in the sixth inning.

O’Brien said LRS performed well at the plate, particularly Mercedes Miller, who was 4-for-4 with a double, a triple and five RBIs.

Hailey Ayers earned pitching wins in both games, including a no-hitter in the first contest.

O’Brien explained said the coaching staff wanted to see how far Ayers could go on the mound and she was a little tired by the seventh inning in the second game. He added Ayers put on a “great performance,” in the doubleheader.

LRS was scheduled to face Reardan in a rescheduled league doubleheader on April 13.

O’Brien said the first game was rained down in the second inning and the doubleheader will be scheduled for a later date.

On Saturday, the Lady Broncos found themselves in a battle when they faced Liberty.

In game one against the Lady Lancers, LRS was down 9-5 after the fifth inning when they scored three runs in the sixth to cut the scoring gap 9-8. Miller scored the tying run in the seventh inning to send the game into extra innings.

The Lady Lancers scored two runs in the ninth inning to take the lead. LRS’ comeback attempt was limited to one run in the bottom of the ninth.

O’Brien said the Lady Broncos, who had 10 hits during the game, managed to make contact and score runs when they needed to during the first seven innings.

He noted the team had a couple of costly errors in the ninth inning, as well as missed opportunities to score runs and take the lead.

In game two, the LRS scored a run in the second inning to tie the game 1-1. The Lady Lancers answered with two runs in the third inning while LRS added a run in the fifth inning. Liberty added an insurance run to close the game.

O’Brien credited Liberty with being a good ball club with league MVP Cheyanne Gleave at the mound.

O’Brien said both Miller and Emma Aldrich had good days at the plate, both making contact with the ball.

Ayers took the loss in the mound in game one, throwing all nine innings while Cailey Vallone-Boettcher took the pitching loss in game two.

O’Brien said Vallone-Boettcher is learning to throw the ball in the strike zone when she faces good hitters.

The Lady Broncos are on the road this week, playing Springdale in a nonleague doubleheader on April 17. They travel to Colfax to play the Lady Bulldogs on April 21.

The two losses to Liberty puts LRS at 1-3 in league play and 3-4 overall.

O’Brien said the Lady Broncos have “dug themselves into a hole,” after the series against the Lady Lancers. He said LRS will take the rest of the season “one game at a time.”

 

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