COLONY — Crest High’s Lady Lancers saw the dark side of the fourth Monday evening.
A troublesome fourth inning popped up twice for the CHS softball squad, and turned into a pair of losses, 20-7 and 11-0 to visiting St. Paul.
The Indians erupted for 14 runs in the top of the fourth of Game 1, turning a 3-2 lead into a 17-2 advantage.
The second game saw St. Paul turn a 2-0 lead into 8-0 by the time the fourth inning concluded.
The Lady Lancers had plenty of offense in the opener.
Kinley Edgerton, Brooklynn Jones and Aylee Beckmon hit consecutive singles to open the first inning, plating the team’s first run. Kaeilin Nilges doubled in a run in the bottom of the third, making it 3-2 in St. Paul’s favor.
But the Indians sent 11 batters to the plate before Crest was able to record the first out of the fourth inning. Six more batters reached base before Crest got out of the inning.
McKenna Powell singled to lead off Crest’s half of the fourth inning. Kaylee Allen doubled her to third. Powell then stole home, and Allen crossed the plate on a St. Paul error off the bat of Allison Weatherman. Edgerton drove in another run, making it 17-5.
St. Paul tacked on three runs in the top of the fifth. Lili Blaufuss added an RBI single, and Weatherman drove in a run with a ground ball to cap the scoring.
Edgerton rapped out three singles at the top of the lineup. Nilges had a double and single. Beckmon and Powell both singled twice. Allen chipped in with a double. Blaufuss and Jones had singles.
Blaufuss and Powell shared pitching duties allowing a combined 16 hits. Blaufuss struck out three over 4.2 innings.
Crest had a pair of scoring opportunities early in the nightcap. The Lady Lancers loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter, but could not score.
A walk and Beckmon’s one-out single in the third put two runners on, but that, too, came up empty, opening the door for St. Paul’s big rally.
Powell singled to lead off the fourth for Crest’s only other hit.
Jones handled the pitching duties, striking out five over five innings, allowing 11 hits.
