Liberty’s softball team made it safely through a hailstorm on the way to a softball game at Landrum on Tues., April 12, but when they arrived at the field, the Red Devils met a tougher opponent— Sydney Davis’s right arm, as Davis and the Cardinals blanked Liberty, 7-0.

 

Davis, who fanned 10, had most Liberty batters flailing late at her fastball, and swinging way ahead of her off-speed offerings. Liberty’s first hit, and first base runner, came in the fourth.

 

Meanwhile, in the home first, the Cardinals scored all they needed when they belted three triples and scored three runs.

 

Landrum is now 11-1 overall, and 10-1 in the region, not including last (Thursday) evening’s game against visiting Inman, from which results were not available at press time. The Cardinals’ lone loss was back on March 10– 5-1 to Chesnee. Landrum blanked Chesnee, 4-0, last time, on April 1.

 

Tuesday’s Liberty game was far different than the previous encounter between the two clubs. At Liberty, on March 15, “they had us beat until the seventh inning,” recalled Cardinals’ head coach Casey Smith.

 

In this second match between the Cardinals and Red Devils, “that change-up (by Davis) really threw them off,” Smith observed. “As long as we jump off hitting the ball well, we do pretty well.”

 

After Davis retired the Red Devils in order in the first, Sarah Price tripled to the gap in right center to lead off the home first. Next batter grounded out, with no advance by Price. Alyssa Davis sacrifice bunted Price home, a delayed run to the plate, after Price knew it was safe to go. With two outs, Emily Carter rifled a single, bringing up Ellen Boatwright. After Carter stole second, Boatwright tripled, scoring Carter, to make it 2-0.

 

Ciara Sikes followed with another triple, chasing home Boatwright. A groundout ended the inning, with the Cardinals ahead, 3-0.

 

In the visitors’ second, Sydney Davis fanned the three batters she faced. Landrum also drew a blank in the second, but all three batters put the ball in play.

 

In the home third, Carter singled (her second hit) with two outs, and scored on Boatwright’s second triple of the evening. Boatwright also scored that inning. Landrum got more base-runners, but did not score again until the sixth.

 

After the first inning, Davis needed more insurance on her right arm than the Cardinals needed insurance runs. At any rate, Sikes led off the home sixth with a line single to right. Sydney Davis laid down a good sacrifice bunt, but a bad throw to first put the Cardinals runners on second and third. Lynnley singled to left, scoring Sikes. Runners were at first and third, but not for long, as a bad throw to third allowed Davis to score. Brown was out at third, but the Cardinals led, 7-0—the final score.

 

This evening, the Cardinals travel to region rival Powdersville for a 5:30 start.  On April 18, they travel to Blacksburg, another region rival.