LACYGNE After seven losses, the majority of which were rather lopsided, Iola softball head coach Chris Wei-de felt it was time for a change going into their doubleheader at Prairie View on Thursday. Despite the fact the Fillies dropped both games vs. the Lady Buffalos, Weide felt his new-look 1-9 team made progress.
I think being eight games in, we had a little more of a sample size to see what was working and what wasnt, Weide said. Some of it was their performance on the field and some of it was attitude and effort and I just figured that some of the younger girls needed some chances. I didnt know how theyd respond but they handled themselves well. Some girls earned some playing time tonight.
The Fillies may have lost both games, 12-6 and 12-1, but players like freshmen Becca Sprague and Lauryn Holloway each recorded hits in the games they played.
Game 1
The Fillies saw their first win in six tries in their sights when they moved into the bottom of the sixth inning leading.
However, thats when the Fillies fell apart, allowing nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to turn their three-run lead into a six-run deficit.
Iola had a shot to get back in the game in the top of the seventh but couldnt get anything else going.
Like weve said all year, its that one inning that gets us, Weide said. Up until that point we played some pretty good defense and we hit the ball well. Sadrie pitched really well early but just that one inning mentally broke us.
Sadrie Overall pitched a great game up until that sixth but ended up earning the loss allowing 12 runs (11 earned) on 13 hits and four walks. She struck out three.
Sprague along with senior Paige Burrough and sophomore Kelsi Morrison each recorded two hits.
Game 2
That big inning that the Fillies seem to run into happened early in the second game. Prairie View drove in six runs to start the game and then three more in the bottom of the second and another three in the bottom of the fourth.
Iola got across a single run in the top of the second.
I told the girls that I do not like losing 12-1 or whatever it was, Weide said. But with the group that we have here and the changes that we made, I feel like we saw a lot of positive things that work well together that hopefully will lead to us getting some more wins here soon.
Freshman Kailey Schinstock gave up 12 runs (only six earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out three. The Iola defense committed four errors.
Junior Nissa Fountain had two hits in the loss.
The Fillies will end a six-game road stand on Tuesday when they travel to Parsons on Tuesday.
We played them last year and split with them but theyve struggled this year, Weide said. Theyre in the same place as us where theyre really going to be fighting for some victories, so hopefully we can go to their place and get a couple wins.
