Junction City uses 2 big innings to sweep EHS
By The Emporia Gazette (Contact)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Two innings out of 14 total frames spelled disaster for the Emporia High girls softball team in its doubleheader Friday night against Junction City, as the Lady Spartans fell, 7-2, in Game One and 9-3 in Game Two.
In Game One, it was a four-run first inning by the Lady Blue Jays that put EHS in a hole too deep to climb out of, while in Game Two, the Lady Spartans gave up a six-run third inning that erased a 1-0 EHS lead.
“We just have those bad innings,” EHS coach Ray Owens said. “I wish I knew when they were coming. They just pop up out of nowhere, and we just can’t seem to fend them off.
“You’ve got to play seven innings of good ball to win games.”
Tia McAlister started in the pitchers’ circle for EHS in the first game and began her night with a strikeout. But it all went sour after that, as McAlister surrendered a walk, two singles and a double to go with an EHS error that allowed Junction City to jump out to a 4-0 lead after the first frame.
Emporia got single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings, but it would not be nearly enough for the Lady Spartans. Junction City scored once in the thir and twice in the fifth to pull away for the 7-2 victory.
In Game Two, Emporia took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the third inning, but EHS starter Hannah Lynch ran into some trouble after that. After getting the first out of the inning, Lynch gave up a three singles, a double and three consecutive walks, as the Lady Jays scored six runs to burst ahead on their way to the 9-3 victory.
“It was almost like she (Lynch) couldn’t get one over the plate,” Owens said. “She was going along real well, and then thing just kind of fell apart for her.”
The loss dropped the Lady Spartans to 1-11 overall and 1-11 in the Centennial League.
Owens said his team was starting to try to do to much to compensate for the lack of victories.
“The girls are starting to press too much,” he said. “Some are trying to do more than they need to do, because the pressure is getting to them a little bit. They’re putting pressure on themselves, saying that they’ve got to play perfect to win a ballgame.
“We’re just pressing too much.”
Friday at Junction City
Game One
Emporia 000 110 0 — 2 10 1
Junction City 401 020 X — 7 13 0
McAlister, Heinrichs (2) and Wells. Jones and Knudson. W — Jones. L — McAlister. 2B — Emporia: Hileman. JC: Coy.
Game Two
Emporia 100 002 0 — 3 6 3
Junction City 006 102 X — 9 9 0
Lynch, Heinrichs (3), Lynch (4) and Wells. Jones and Knudson. W — Jones. L — Lynch. 2B — Emporia: Hileman, Muninger. JC: Clark.
Emporia’s Fry takes 6th
at Manhattan dive
invitational
Emporia High’s Hayley Fry finished sixth overall at the Manhattan Diving Invitational Friday night to lead three EHS divers in the competition.
Fry finished with 278.05 points, which earned her a medal for finishing in the top six.
EHS dive coach Barbara Clark said finishing in the top six was an accomplishment for Fry, who had been battling an ear infection.
“She looked good,” Clark said. “She hit some dives, but others she was struggling with. She still has some work to do, but overall I thought she performed well.”
Aubrey Armitage finished less than 10 points back of Fry with a score of 269.95 to place ninth, while Alli Armitage came in 10th with a score of 268.50.
Salina Central’s Ashley Weatherd won the event.