Lady Eagles starting off strong in softball season
Posted 04/10/14
April 5 Game
Millersport 6 DCS 4
The DCS Women opened the 2014 season on the chilly shore of Buckeye Lake at the Millersport Cure for Cancer Tri-Team Event. Bad back and all, new Head Coach Matt Heidorn was excited to be part of his first varsity event.
The first game started as DCS plated a pair of runs early. Bethany Kuykendall scored on at first inning single by Emily Cornelius and Liz Sullivan touched home after she was singled in by Natalie Plotner in the second. The Eagles gave the lead back in the second as the Lakers plated 5 runs. Starter Ava Heidorn walked the first two batters and then was touched up for four hits. DCS clawed their way back into the game as last season’s top hitter Kayla Zimmerman scored runs in the fourth and sixth inning, but Millersport held on by adding an insurance run in the sixth to seal the victory.
Heidorn pitched six innings giving up six runs; five were earned. She gave up seven hits, walked six and struck out 13 Lakers in her first varsity game.
Kayla Zimmerman led the offense with a pair of hits, and 3 stolen bases. Cornelius had a hit and two RBI’s. Plotner had a hit and an RBI while Madie Morgan completed the attack with her first hit of her varsity career.
DCS 10 Wellington 3
As the sun warmed the field the DCS bats heated as well. The game was tied at two going into the bottom of the 4th when the Lady Eagles scorched the Jaguars for five runs. Madie Morgan led off with double to the right center gap. She and Carmon Weldi both scored on a two RBI single by Brianna Kuykendall. Natalie Plotner then picked up her second and third RBI’s of the game when she knocked in both Brianna and Bethany Kuykendall. Plotner scored before the inning closed giving DCS a 7-2 lead. DCS ended their scoring attack when top hitter Kayla Zimmerman knocked one out of the park for her first Home Run of the season. Kayla was excited as both of her parents were there to witness the feat.
Zimmerman also starred on the mound by controlling the Wellington Bats all day. Zimmerman walked six but only gave up one hit in six innings and giving up only three runs.
Madie Morgan pitched a scoreless seventh, giving up a hit and a pair of walks.
Liz Sullivan and Natalie Plotner combined for web gem of the day. With Wellington runners on the corners in the seventh and only one out the Jaguar coach attempted to steal second base. Sullivan, the catcher, fired the perfect throw towards second but second baseman Plotner intercepted the ball much to the dismay of the runner on third. She then fired a strike into the glove of Sullivan who blocked the plate and tug out a very surprised runner.
Brianna Kuykendall, Zimmerman and Ava Heidorn had two RBI’s apiece while Plotner led with three.
Quib Note: After the game I asked Liz when did she learn to block the home plate like that? She smiled and said “With all of my brothers and sisters I’ve been blocking my plate at home my entire life.”
April 8 Game
DCS 5 Columbus Briggs 2
After rain causing the originally scheduled Ridgedale game to be to be rescheduled, Athletic Director Grey Huston earned his pay by finding DCS a last minute game deep in the heart of Columbus.
Rarely do two schools meet when such a size difference comes into to play. Briggs has around 1200 students in their high school. That did not stop the Lady Eagles. Natalie Plotner opened the scoring in the first after a walk and a pair of past balls. The big blow came in the second as Madie Morgan worked the count full before blasting her first career Home Run deep over the left center field fence. Before the Lady Bruins could get their legs back Carmon Weldi walked, pinch runner Rachel Kirkham swiped second even after all that Dora had taught her in her younger years and Brianna Kuykendall brought her home with a key ground out.
DCS made it 5-0 in the fifth when Natalie looped a beautiful two out two run single to left center to score Liz Sullivan and Carmon Weldi.
Briggs attempted to get back in the game by scoring two in the fifth, but was stymied in the sixththe now famous double steal stopper play. This time Weldi delivered a perfect throw toward second base, and Plotner cut the ball perfectly throwing home to Weldi who blocked the plate and applied the tag erasing the threat.
The Delaware defense was lights out the entire evening as they played errorless for the entire game.
Ava Heidorn controlled the game from the mound. After walking the first batter of the game, she then retired the next 13. After giving up two runs in the 5th she regained her form and struck out three of the final four batters. She finished with 12 strikeouts while giving up three walks three hits to earn her first victory.
Quib: When Madie was asked about how far she hit the Home Run ball she answered “I’m not sure, but it was definitely longer than anyone else in my family could hit one.” Let’s see what Panda has to say about that the rest of the year?
The Lady Eagles will play next Thursday, April 11 at Madison Christian with the game starting at 5:30 p.m. They will also play a double header on their own turf at Liberty Field on Saturday, April 27 against the Mt. Gilead Lady Indians; first game starting at 10 a.m. and the second game starting around 12 p.m. The Middle School boys will also be playing a double header at Liberty Field with the first game starting around 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Story submitted by Coach Heidorn; photos courtesy of John Sullivan