In the Shaw University tournament Saturday afternoon, the Rams (3-3) cruised to a 15-0 victory over the Lions (0-5) of Lincoln University.
As the score suggests, the Rams jumped on the Lions from the start, scoring 13 runs in the first three innings.
Earning just one hit against the Rams, the Lions’ bats executed the exact opposite way the Rams’ bats did.
Sophomore starting pitcher Lori Sturgill (2-1) shut down the Lions’ bats with her impressive outing. In the winning effort, Sturgill allowed just one hit in five innings of work. She walked two and struck out 10 during the onslaught.
Clearly, the Lions could never get into a rhythm against Sturgill.
They would need to do so thanks to their sub-par pitching display themselves. Starting pitcher Diamond Scott pitched all four innings, and did not get any help from the fielding of skills of her teammates.
In the game, the Lions committed six errors. It is hard to win any game at any level playing like that. Of the 15 runs the Rams scored, only five were charged to Scott. Despite striking out six Rams, she did not help her cause by walking 13 Rams, a seemingly unprecedented amount.
The five-run second inning really blew the game away for the Rams. Freshman utility player Bailee Jackson struck out swinging, but got to first base on an errant throw by the Lions’ catcher. In the process, sophomore shortstop/outfielder Kaitlyn Konopka reached third, and junior utility player Sarah North reached home plate with the error.
Senior third/first baseman Alexandra Witt then reached third base with a wild pitch by Scott. Jackson rounded third and scored on a throwing error by Scott. Konopka also scored with the error, adding to the misery of the Lions.
Still in the second inning, freshman infielder Debbie Stuart scored on another fielding error, this time by the Lions’ third baseman. Witt also came home to add another run to the Rams’ commanding lead.
Sophomore catcher Kelsie Weaver grounded out to the first baseman unassisted, but the throw home did not come in on time to prevent Stuart from scoring the fifth and final run of the inning.
Perhaps the most glaring statistics of the game was that the Rams scored 15 runs on just four hits.
The Rams would go on to play later in the day against Wayne State.
Anthony Bracken is the Sports Editor of The Picket. He can be reached at abrack02@rams.shepherd.edu
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