Pippa Passes, KY: The Alice Lloyd College Lady Eagles (10-22) returned home on April 4th for a doubleheader with the Johnson University Royals. They would come away with a split for the series.
April 4
GAME ONE
JU-3; Alice Lloyd-2
The Caney Creek Club saw their bats held in check as they dropped a tough opening game.
The Royals struck first, as an opening-inning fielder’s choice brought in a run (1-0). However, the Lady Eagles got out strong in their first at bat when a Baylee Cox single (P) drove in 2 (2-1).
Pitching ruled the day, but in the fourth, JU scored the tying run on a ground-out (2-2). They then managed a single one inning later to squeak in the go-ahead run (3-2).
The Lady Eagles managed only 1 single over the final three innings as they fell in a nail-biter
Cox, would lead the squad with 2 hits, but the club managed only 6.
Cox suffered the tough loss on the mound while pitching well. She allowed only 6 hits and 3 runs over seven innings
The squads both had 6 hits and 1 error apiece.
GAME TWO
JU-4; Alice Lloyd-5
The hosts bounced back to pull out the close decision and force a split.
Both clubs were kept in check by solid pitching through the first three innings as neither could get much going on offense. Fortunately, for the home fans, this would change at the bottom of the fourth.
In the fourth, Abigail Stambaugh (RF) would walk, eventually advance to third, and score on a grounder (1-0). Then, after 2 singles would place both runners on base, Maleigh McDaniel (P) would promptly clear them with a big blast to dead-center (4-0).
After Johnson got one back in the fifth with a homer of their own (4-1), ALC struck pay dirt in the bottom half when Baylie Compton (CF) singled in a score. (5-1).
Things got a little shaky for the Pippa Passes bunch in the sixth when JU scored 2 (5-3), and then got downright worse when they scored 1 in the seventh (5-4).
Happily, for the Lady Eagles, consecutive groundouts ended the day in Alice Lloyd’s favor.
For ALC, McDaniel and Cox belted 2 hits each to lead the way with McDaniel’s 3 RBIs paving the way.
Pitcher McDaniel went the distance in earning the “W’. She allowed 9 hits and 3 earned runs, with 6 strikeouts.
JU took the hitting battle 9-8 but also led in errors, 3-2.