Error-ridden Lady Colts fall to GRC in home opener

The Lady Colts' erroneous ways from last season have carried over to 2013, showing through in West's opening loss to Garrard County, then again Friday at home in game one of their season kick off tournament against George Rogers Clark.

"I think we are still trying to get things under control. Everyone is a bit tense, and for some reason we can't relax", said West head coach¿Michelle Baker, who added her team has "got some butterflies."

West's 7-2 loss to the Lady Cardinals didn't come entirely to the credit of their mistakes, though.
Baker said her team's defense has to put her pitchers and offense in position to win games, something unachievable Friday.

Junior pitcher Kelsey Garrett pitched two solid early innings before GRC found a rhythm at the plate in the third to obtain an unsurmounted 3-0 lead.

Garrett bounced back in the fourth with the help of senior catcher Kendall Anderson, who prevented one of the Lady Cards' baserunners from touching home plate, further expanding their lead.

Senior pitcher Ashley Brunty, returning from an injury plagued 2012 season, replaced Garrett in the fifth inning after four more runs crossed the plate on her watch.

But it was during the fifth that the Lady Colts errors played the biggest factor in aiding GRC's scoring efforts.

"Errors is killing us right now," Baker said.

She said if her team continues to make such errors, they just can't have the success to win games.

Brunty's performance for the remainder of the inning was enough to stave off any additional damage, allowing the Lady Colts to stage a rally in the bottom of the fifth.

"I though Kelsey did a great job today. She puts the ball across the plate. Not overpowering, but she has several different pitches that give us a chance," Baker said. "All I ask of Kelsey and of Ashley Brunty is to give me some fly balls and ground balls to give my defense a chance, and so far my defense hasn't been able to come through for them."

Anderson opened the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk, her second of the game, and eventually got West in scoring position with a steal of second base.

Freshman Samantha Cross accompanied her prior to freshman Taylor Hendrix keeping the inning alive with a two-run double.

With runners on the corners, Brunty worked herself late into the count, setting up a bobbled grounder to second that the Lady Cards eventually handled and tossed for the game's final out.

"Our batting lineup isn't to bad," Baker said. "We've not hit the ball as hard as I'd like."

She said despite that, she enjoyed seeing her team's ability to rally late, and hoped it carried over to game two.

"I think they can pull it together," Baker said.

"We have to figure out a way to make them confident and make them believe. And that's not easy thing because hitting or something like that's easier to fix — something mechanical — but the mental side of the game's really tough."

The Lady Colts returned to action later Friday with a 10-0 loss to Bullitt East. They split Saturday’s round with a 5-1 victory over Danville and a 9-4 loss to Sacred Heart Academy.