By Mitch Howard
Sports Writer
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. —
“We’re getting there. We’re close.”
That’s how South Laurel coach James Burns summed up Friday’s 4-3 loss to East Jessamine in a nail biter. The Lady Cardinals did a lot of things right, including hitting, solid pitching and defense. This time it was as much base running as anything that kept them from a win.
“We didn’t get good jumps. We missed a sign and we ran when we’re not supposed to. We miss a bunt that leads to an out,” Burns said.
Most of East Jessamine’s damage came in a three-run third inning. That is where they took a 4-3 lead that would hold up.
“I thought it would be a 12-10 game or something like that,” Burns said.
The Lady Cardinals were aggressive at the plate early and were putting the ball in play. Casie Finely led off the game with a single and later scored on a fielder’s choice by Amber Hyde.
East Jessamine got that run back in the top of the second, although some slick defense almost ended the inning quickly. Haleigh Fain led off the inning with a single. Malin Miracle’s hard liner looked like a hit before South Laurel shortstop Destinee Fisher snagged it out of the air. She threw to first and almost had the double play. The runner was called safe at first and a quiet protest by Burns did not sway the call. The next batter lined to centerfield with Cassandra Johnson making another nice play. There was no catching a triple by Olivia Day into the right centerfield gap to drive in a run.
Right fielder Laura Williams then ended the inning with another flashy catch.
The South Laurel bats stayed hot in the second inning. Johnson and Hagan Burns started a rally with back-to-back singles. Both runners scored on an opposite field single by No. 9 hitter Bailey Miller.
East Jessamine answered with four hits and three runs in the third inning. It was a bloop single by Miracle over third base that drove in what would be the winning run.
Hagan Burns got loose in the bullpen in case she was needed to take the mound, but she wasn’t.
“Megan (Smith) pitched well. They hit her hard early, but then she settled down,” Burns said.
East Jessamine had two more singles in the fourth inning, but the South Laurel defense shut the door again. First there was a backhanded stop by Fisher at shortstop and then a spinning catch against the centerfield fence by Johnson. From there Smith would retire the final nine batters.
At the same time, the hot South Laurel bats would go cold. There would be a few chances in the late innings. Smith singled with one out in the sixth, but a courtesy runner was thrown out at second base on a hit by Chelsea Wemes.
In the seventh inning, Hagan Burns broke her bat on a sharp single to lead off the inning. A double by Finley put runners at second and third with two outs. The threat ended with Fisher’s hard grounder being played by the shortstop.
“I was proud of them. They played a lot better,” Burns said. “We’ll be all right.”
The Lady Cardinals have a big week coming up with North Laurel, Corbin, and Whitley County in a row.
“Two of those are district games we need to win,” Burns said.
mhoward@sentinel-echo.com
