Ladycats Rout Lady Badgers, 15-1

BY NORM BETZ –

The Mena Ladycats hosted Arkadelphia in a 4A-7 Conference game, but sent the Lady Badgers home early, after just five innings. The Ladycats mustered 13 hits in four innings on the way to a 15-1 victory. Junior pitcher Jordan Ward was outstanding as she held the Lady Badgers to just one hit, allowed one earned run, struck out eight, and walked two.

Ward made quick work of Arkadelphia in the top of the first, throwing 14 pitches, striking out a pair, and producing a ground out to junior Kenzi Spurgin.

Senior Bailey Bunch led the bottom of the first off with a single and later scored the only run for Mena, on an RBI single by junior Kristen Kesterson. Mena led 1-0 at the end of the first inning.

Ward sent the Lady Badgers back to the dugout in order, striking out all three batters she faced in the top of the second inning.

Sophomore Lexi Brooks doubled to left field to start things off in the bottom of the inning. Junior Daryan Torix reached on an error, Brooks was able to score, and Torix trotted into second on the throwing error. Junior Madi Brotherton walked, while Torix was able to move up to third on a passed ball. Ward was hit by a pitch and sophomore Kensie Sawyer entered the game as a courtesy runner for Ward. Spurgin hit a RBI double, Kesterson followed with a fielder-choice, and Spurgin was able to score on a passed ball. Mena led to 5-0 after the second inning.

Arkadelphia’s first runner reached on a hit by pitch and the second reached via a walk. Ward picked off the runner at second with a quick throw to Kesterson. The Lady Badgers picked up their first and only hit of the contest when Ashlyn Taylor hit an RBI double to left field. Ward closed out the top of the third with her seventh strike out through three innings.

Brooks led off the bottom of the inning with a blast to left field that cleared the fence, increasing the Ladycats’ lead to 6-1. Torix singled and was driven home on a Ward RBI single to center field. The Ladycats led 7-1 after three.

Ward struck out the first batter, while the second popped up to Spurgin at third. The top of the fourth ended on a ground out to Spurgin.

Smelling blood in the water, the Ladycats went for the kill, plating eight runs in the bottom of the fourth. Junior Macy Brotherton was the fourth straight lead-off batter to reach for Mena as she drew a six pitch walk. Senior Jami Miller entered the game as a courtesy runner for Brotherton. Brooks hit an RBI triple for her third extra base hit in as many at-bats. Torix quickly drove Brooks home with an RBI single. Madi Brotherton reached on a walk, Ward followed with a fielders-choice, and Sawyer entered as her courtesy runner. Bunch hit a RBI single to center field, pushing Mena’s 10^th run across the dish. Spurgin kept things going with a two RBI double to right field, while Kesterson drilled a homer to left field, picking up three more RBI’s and closing out the Ladycats’ scoring. Mena led 15-1 after four innings.

Kesterson threw out the first two Lady Badgers in the top of the fifth on back-to-back grounders. Bunch scooped up a ground ball and tossed it over to Madi Brotherton for the final out of the contest. It was fitting that the Ladycats scored 15 runs to win the game and move to 15-3 overall on the season and 4-0 in conference play.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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