DEEP RUN — Lisa Smith was concerned as to how her South Lenoir softball team would perform against Croatan considering it hadn’t practiced outside in a week.
The Blue Devils didn’t disappoint.
Madison Herring went 2-for-3 and drove in three runs and Taylor Sandlin and Madison Beyer combined for a one-hitter as South Lenoir picked up an easy 9-0 win over the Cougars in East Central 2A Conference play on Tuesday.
Morgan Mentz had two hits and drove in a run, Bree Williams had two hits and scored twice and Beyer went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs as the Blue Devils improved to 7-2, 4-1 in league play.
“We played really well considering we hadn’t been able to practice outside since early last week,” said Smith, whose team won for the fourth straight time.
“I’m real proud of the girls. They’re starting to come together at the right time.”
Sandlin struck out six and faced two over the minimum in five innings of work. She allowed a walk to Kasey Raper in the second then gave up a double to Karli Thomas in the fifth for the Cougars’ only base runners, but neither made it past second base.
Beyer entered the pitching circle in the sixth after the Blue Devils failed to end it via the mercy rule in the fifth, and retired all six she faced, one via the strikeout.
It was a solid defensive effort for South Lenoir, which played error free behind its pitchers and had 14 putouts in 14 chances.
No batted balls by Croatan (1-5, 1-3) left the infield.
“Our defense played outstanding,” Smith said. “Taylor and Maddie pitched very well, but I thought our defense made some great plays behind them.”
Although impatient at times, Smith felt her offense did a good job as well.
As a team the Blue Devils pounded out 11 hits — three for extra bases — and its base running was superb against a team that committed four errors.
Mentz tripled home Herring, who led off the bottom of the first inning with a single. Bree Williams followed with a single, stole second, then made it home on a passed ball and an error for the early 2-0 lead.
After leaving Hanna Meready at third in the second, the Blue Devils scored five in the third — three on Herring’s double to the fence in center field. Williams, Beyer and Meready all singled in the inning, with Meready driving home a run.
Sandlin’s RBI fielder’s choice in the fourth scored Mentz, who led off with a single, then Anna Wetherington came off the bench to double home Beyer after her base hit to make it 9-0.
In the fifth South Lenoir got the game-ending run in scoring position with one out, but couldn’t get Herring home after Croatan reliever Haley Cheever got Mentz and Williams to fly out and pop out, respectively.
A little impatience at the plate — and the unseasonal cold — was about all Smith had to detest after the win.
“We were a little impatient at times, and that’s something we’ve got to work on,” she said, “but overall, it was a good win for a good group of girls.”
Ryan Herman can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Ryan.Herman@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter: @KFPSports.
Croatan 000 000 0—0 1 4
S. Lenoir 205 200 x—9 11 0
Walker, Cheever (5) and Clecknee; Sandlin, Beyer (6) and Williams, Meready (5). W—Sandlin. L—Walker.