It took one play to sum up the Emporia High softball team’s frustrations not just during Tuesday night’s doubleheader against Hayden, but for the entire season.
Trailing by two runs in the bottom of the sixth with a runner — Jennifer Lechien — on second and just one out, Emporia High’s Hannah Lynch knocked a single to shallow center that for all the world looked like it would be enough to get Lechien home to start a late-innings rally.
But as Lechien reached third and headed for home, Hayden center fielder Cassandra Pelc snatched up Lynch’s hit on one hop, squared up and fired a laser to home plate and the waiting glove of catcher Jordyn Montgomery. Montgomery made the catch and tagged Lechien out with ease, but it didn’t stop there.
Montgomery made the tag on Lechien and then threw the ball to second base, where Hayden shortstop Hannah Weiler tagged out Lynch, who was trying for an extra base after seeing the throw go home.
It was an inning-ending double play, one that ultimately relegated the Lady Spartans to a 3-0 loss. EHS lost Game One of the doubleheader 10-0, and remained winless on the season.
Even when the Lady Spartans take risks, they still seem to come up frustratingly short.
“I just knew we had to take that chance,” said assistant coach Kristen Oberle, who was subbing for head coach Ray Owens, as Owens was attending the funeral of a family member. “We had to get a run on the board. We had to take more chances to try and get runs in, and it didn’t work for us.”
The loss in Game Two was particularly stinging for the Lady Spartans (0-10), who played noticeably more spirited and were much more animated in the dugout in an attempt to turn around an already long season.
Lynch put together a more-than-capable performance in the circle to keep Hayden within striking distance, going all seven innings while giving up just three runs on six hits and striking out four.
Emporia, on the other hand, had a runner in scoring position three different times, but never could come up with the hits to bring them home.
“It is frustrating, but that’s one thing that makes us even more excited, because we were so close to scoring and making these games close,” EHS first baseman Lexi Hileman said. “We had a couple chances and we went for them, and that was all we could do. We kept our heads up.”
Hayden plated two runs in the fourth thanks in part to a walk, an error and a wild pitch, as Brianna Akers and Morgan Sleeper each scored to make it 2-0.
The Lady Wildcats got one more across in the seventh, as Ali Unrein scored after getting a one-out single and then eventually crossed home plate on another EHS error, which made it 3-0.
Emporia’s Sammie Gumfory made it to second in the bottom of the seventh inning with one out, but EHS was unable to get her home to start a rally, as the game ended with a strikeout and a fly out.
Lechien, Lynch, Katie Weaver and Maryann Bennett each had singles to lead EHS in Game Two.
“The girls had more fire in them in the second game,” Oberle said. “They came together and played more as a team ... and I’m proud of them.
In Game One, Emporia had trouble adjusting to the umpire’s strike zone — which at times appeared to stretch from the shoe tops to the chin — and Hayden pitcher Justine Riner took complete advantage of it.
Riner went the distance for the Lady Wildcats and only allowed two hits while recording 15 strikeouts. She was working on a perfect game until the third inning, when Lexi Hileman broke through with a single. However, Emporia’s only other hit against Riner came in the seventh inning from Lechien.
“We just struggled, and yes the strike zone was off, but they have to work with that, and they know that,” Oberle said. “You’ve just got to go with what you get.”
Emporia starter Cassandra Huth came through with 12 strikeouts of her own, but in between allowed 13 hits and gave up at least one run in every inning but the sixth.
It was Pelc who did the most damage offensively for Hayden, as she went 2-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored.
The next action for Emporia High is Friday with a home doubleheader against Junction City.
Hayden 10, Emporia 0
Game One
Hayden 112 320 1 — 10 13 0
Emporia 000 000 0 — 0 2 5
Hayden — Justine Riner and Jordyn Montgomery. Emporia — Cassandra Huth and Hilary Heinrichs.
W — Riner. L — Huth. 2B — Ali Unrein, Brianna Akers, Morgan Sleeper.
Hayden 3, Emporia 0
Game Two
Hayden 000 200 1 — 3 6 1
Emporia 000 000 0 — 0 4 3
Hayden — Brianna Akers and Jordyn Montgomery. Emporia — Hannah Lynch and Hilary Heinrichs.
W — Akers. L — Lynch.