In their final game of tournament action in the UNG Captain D’s Classic, the Rams (2-2) got shutout by the Nighthawks (13-4) of North Georgia, falling 8-0.
Safe to say from the scoreboard, the Rams really did not have much of anything going for them offensively or defensively.
Recording just five hits during the game, the Rams were never really able to find their groove against starting pitcher Kylee Smith of the Nighthawks. She pitched four innings, allowed four hits, walked one, and struck out seven batters. She was in the zone from the start, continually frustrating the Rams’ hitters.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, sophomore starting pitcher Lori Sturgill took the loss. She got bombarded with the Nighthawks’ hitters in her four innings of work. Sturgill allowed six runs on nine hits, walked four, and posted zero strikeouts.
Needless to say, the Nighthawks gave Sturgill and the Rams tremendous headaches early and often in this contest. Two solo-shot home-runs by infielder Sydney Sprague and outfielder Stephanie Hartness, respectively, in the first inning provided the Nighthawks a 2-0 lead in the first inning. They would only need one of those home-runs to win the contest though.
Sprague and Hartness proved to be too much for the Rams to deal with on this particular afternoon, as in the second inning they both produced another run a piece that stretched the Nighthawks’ lead to 4-0.
Sprague singled up the middle and reached second after an errant throw by the Rams, and another fielding error by the Rams gave the opportunity for outfielder Allison Neely to come in and score.
Hartness, seeing Sprague at second base, capitalized on the Rams’ earlier error and belted a double to left center that gave ample time for Sprague to score.
Still in the second inning, Sturgill threw a wild pitch that utility player Alishia Frierson advanced to third base with, and also allowed Hartness to score again.
Down 5-0 at this point, it was clear that this was just not the Rams’ day.
During the third inning, shortstop Hannah McSwain got to first bases on a fielder’s choice by the Rams’ shortstop and flew to second as a result of the throw. During this process, outfielder Whitney Worth avoided the Rams’ desperate tag attempts and came in to score. The Nighthawks now led 6-0.
Still in the inning, Sprague recorded her third hit of the day by hitting an RBI single up the middle that she advanced to second on with an off throw by the Rams. McSwain timed it perfectly as she rounded third and headed home, with the lead now 7-0 in the Nighthawks’ favor.
The final run came off of an RBI single by catcher Shelby Hammontree that Kayln Anthony stretched into another run for the Nighthawks, who then led 8-0.
Whether it was fielding errors or off throws, the Rams, perhaps due to it being their fourth game of the weekend, just did not come out with the same effort and execution as they did in previous games.
After a performance like this, it has to put a bad taste in their mouth going forward.
The Rams play in another road tournament, this time at the Shaw University tournament, which begins on Friday. Their first opponent will be Chowan, who they will take on Friday at 4 p.m.
Anthony Bracken is the Sports Editor of The Picket. He can be reached at abrack02@rams.shepherd.edu
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