Daniel Boone softball coach Jeremy Jenkins took a page from the past and doubled up in arm strength for a non-conference win at David Crockett on Monday evening.
Kaylea Osborne and Ava Saul combined for a three-hit shutout as the Lady ’Blazers took a 1-0 victory over the rival Lady Pioneers. Osborne pitched the odd-numbered innings and Saul came in the even-numbered ones.
Jenkins harkened back to one of his best football teams in 2009 when he alternated quarterbacks Kevin Connell and Austin Reppart. With it in a stretch part of the softball season and the pitchers tired, why not do the same with Osborne and Saul? It worked to perfection as Boone (14-10) captured the defensive battle against the Lady Pioneers (14-8).
“We decided yesterday to do it,” Jenkins said. “I was looking at our stats and I’m not a real big stats person, but our strength are our two pitchers. Instead of us throwing them 100-some pitches in one game, let’s just alternate them and throw every inning. Every team is getting both of them like when we had Kevin and Austin playing quarterback. We did what we wanted because the last inning, those three hitters hadn’t seen Kaylea all day.”
The outing by the two Lady ’Blazers hurlers overshadowed a stellar effort by Crockett’s Cara Wilson. After the first three Boone batters got on base and lead-off Riley Croley scored in the first inning, she allowed just three hits over the next six innings.
“We had a miscue in the first inning with the way we didn’t handle a bunt and that ended up hurting us,” Crockett coach Alex Dulaney said. “We played good defense and had great pitching from Cara.”
Saul had two doubles, driving in the game’s only run. Croley had two singles also for Boone. Otherwise, it was the defensive effort which allowed Boone to capture the win. Jenkins wished his team had been able to take advantage of more scoring opportunities.
“We had some good approaches today, but we’ve got to do a better job hitting with runners on,” he said. “Our pitching and defense was the name of the game for us. Riley and McKenzie (Strouth) made some big plays then we turned a double play to end the game. Pitching and defense is what we hang our hats on. That’s how far we’re going to go this season based on those things.”
The same could be said for Crockett. Dulaney praised the defensive efforts of his team, especially Madelyn Dulaney, Julie Maupin and Laney Britton coming up with big plays in the outfield.
“I say with our lineup that’s got to be one of the fastest outfields around,” Dulaney said. “I’m tickled with the way they played. Laney Britton in right field made some outstanding plays. We just didn’t find enough barrels today to move the runners around.”
Stay Engaged
React to this article and join our community of readers sharing their feedback.
