After going through some struggles at the plate for a few games, the Elizabethton Lady Cyclones are beginning to find their swing again which means double trouble for their opponents.
For the second straight game, Elizabethton tore the seams from the leather en route to a 10-1 win over the Sullivan East Lady Patriots in a key Three Rivers Conference contest at Elizabethton High School.
“I was telling the girls that I was very proud of our approach at the plate,” said Cyclone head coach Ken Hardin. “We had good at-bats. Everything was on a line—even the outs.
We did the same thing at Greeneville last night. The kids are working hard and doing what they are supposed to do. There’s going to be bad games and bad nights, but the last two have been very good for us.”
Banging out 14 hits, six going for extra bases, Elizabethton quickly put six runs on the board in the first two innings and played superb defense behind starting pitcher Lauren Brickey who notched her seventh win against one loss from the pitching circle.
Brickey totaled six strikeouts and walked one. The Lady Patriots managed just five hits off Brickey in the contest.
“We have been in a hitting slump for a few games now, and we came out yesterday and hit the ball better and did the same today,” said Brickey about her team’s effort. “We did what we needed to do, and it makes me feel better because if we give up a hit, I know we can come back.”
“I have a great defense to back me up. They are going to dive for balls and hustle to get them so it makes me feel great.”
For good measure, the Lady Cyclones hung four insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to provide an insurmountable gap for the Lady Patriots to overcome, especially against the strong pitching of Brickey.
Elizabethton received a solid game at the plate from Hannah Edwards who roped two doubles in three plate appearances.
Brickey helped her cause with a double as well. Allison Riddle, Macie Herrmann, and Maci West also slammed a two-bagger apiece.
Elizabethton also played well with their short ball game getting several key bunts down to move runners into scoring position.
East scored their only run in the top of the fourth on three consecutive singles off the bats of Kylee Wolfe, Callee Justice, and Autumn Gobble with Samantha Smith’s sacrifice fly to left field plating Wolfe.
Hardin said his team just needs to keep their focus and keep doing what they are back to doing with the bats.
“We just have to keep on keeping on, even when you are not hitting the ball well because they will eventually fall for you,” added Hardin. “Lauren pitched great for us tonight, and she and Kellie (Cunningham) make such a great pitching duo.
“Our conference night in and night out is as good as anybody’s. There’s going to be tight games. East has a great program and we are glad to get out of here with a win.”
The Lady Cyclones have another big showdown on the horizon as the Unicoi County Lady Blue Devils come calling on Thursday with revenge on their mind after the Lady Cyclones won at Lady Devils Diamond earlier in the season.