BROOKSVILLE – On Tuesday evening, the Hernando Leopards (9-5) took down the Central Bears (2-11) in extra innings at the Bears’ Den. After a back-and-forth affair throughout the evening, the Purple and Gold nabbed the winning run in the eighth frame of the in-county softball clash.
“The game plan was to play them like we play Springstead […] but made some inopportune infield errors in the first inning that cost us and let them back in the game,” Coach Gonzalez said. “We kept it going in the second the same way. So, once we cleaned up the errors and made defense stronger, it was better.”
The Leopards opened the game with a pair of scores in the first frame thanks to a two-run home run by Sophomore Murphi Blade. Then, as Coach Gonzalez alluded to, a trio of wild Leopards pitches set the home team up to tie the game at two-all in the bottom of the first inning.
A Sophomore Lily Jernigan double would run Sophomore Ammarae Easton in the fourth, Freshman Mya Smith would be run home in the fifth by a bouncing single after stealing two consecutive bases, and the Leopards would record a three-run inning (Easton, Jernigan, and Junior Addison Phethean) of their own in the top of the sixth to take a 7-5 advantage.
Then, with a two-score lead and two outs in the bottom of what would become the penultimate period, all they needed was one more out. To the visitors’ chagrin, the Bears would not quit. Freshman Yianna Casiano blasted a double deep to left field to run Freshman Natalie Atkinson home before a left field single ran Casiano across home plate to tie the score at seven apiece.
Before Central could bat the winning run home, however, Hernando made a pitching change late in the seventh. Once Coach Gonzalez went to their number two pitcher, Junior Pitcher Kaitlyn Carter, she rose to the occasion and “shut it down on the mound,” her head coach noted.
Following the end of regulation, Hernando was up to bat in the top of the eighth, and they quickly loaded the bases with only a single out. Another wild pitch by the Bears ran Easton home again and Junior Ariana Covell was walked, loading the bases yet again, but Central managed to get out of the pickle without surrendering further damage.
“Base running is key and getting the bunt down was key […] that last inning where I think we had three or four girls bite and we loaded the bases in one out,” Coach Gonzalez said. “One key hit would have brought in two or three runs. So, there really wasn’t anything different. Most of these girls play travel ball and they are used to that situation, so it played into their favor tonight.”
Despite failing to capitalize more effectively on a scoring situation to help put the game out of reach, Carter and the Leopards’ defense would retire Central’s first three batters in the bottom of the extra frame to put the game away.
The Leopards were able to summon the offense and defense just when need be. With many of his squad frequenting travel ball teams and with hitting being a calling card for the team, the game played well to their strengths. With their batting order serving them well thus far, the coaching staff will largely look to continue “doing what we are doing,” he said.
“We are young, so it is just getting them to get past the mistakes and just focus on the next play […] Our hitting is kind of our staple this year,” Coach Gonzalez added. “We hit a lot, we score a lot of runs, we cause a lot of chaos,” Coach Gonzalez added.
