The Capital softball team is back in the win column after throttling Lakes 21-5 in five innings Friday afternoon.
Only five hits were necessary in the victory, as Capital batters walked 16 times, were hit by nine pitches and reached base on six errors. Lexie Dura struck out seven batters and allowed five runs, three earned, on six hits and one walk.
“It was a team effort today. We were missing several starters, and we went into this game with a “next girl up” mentality,” Capital head coach Jeremy Taylor-Sparks said. “I am proud of this group. I wish I had a video of our first practice. We had 17 players, and of that 17, only five had played fastpitch before. We are getting better every day.”
Capital’s patience at the plate paid off in the first inning, with five walks leading to three runs. Lakes responded with a pair in the bottom of the first, and the Cougars broke the game open on a two-run single by Elizabeth Sloppy and a bevy of walks and errors by Lakes in the second.
Leading 8-3, the Cougars dropped nine runs in the third, highlighted by Lola McKeone’s RBI double and a two-run single by Davanee Weide.
“Lola did well behind the plate and at the plate. Lexie was great in the circle. Ash [O’Hara] is coming into her own at short, and Devyn [Zipperer] has been kind of our Swiss Army knife, playing outfielder, catcher and third base,” Taylor-Sparks said. “Davanee stepped up big for us at first, while Tasha [Drinkall] gave us the energy at second base. Elizabeth was great at the plate and in the field for us today. We are just going to keep building and keep grinding.”
Capital (2-10, 2-8 Puget Sound League) will take on PSL-Nisqually leader Timberline (10-3, 10-1 PSL) on the road Monday, April 27.
