ARLINGTON — First-year Arlington head softball coach Lonnie Hicks says hitting is contagious.
Thursday, when his team beat the Cascade Bruins 4-2, the Eagles proved their coach knows what he’s talking about.
Both teams were struggling to score runs and Arlington (2-0 league, 4-1 overall) was clinging to a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the fifth inning when the Eagles broke the game open.
Arlington’s big inning started with one-out infield singles by Kalie Basher and Veronica Ladines, followed by an RBI single by Alyssa Campbell. Kaitlyn McDonald walked before Rachel Backlund hit an RBI single. Campbell scored on Brittany Bovard’s fielder’s choice to cap the inning and give Arlington a 4-0 lead.
“We got a couple of hits and the next kids come up and they find a way to get the ball into gaps,” Hicks said.
Arlington starting pitcher Hayley Fields was nearly unhittable for the first five innings. When the Bruins finally got to Fields in the sixth inning — a lead-off single by Paige Miller followed by a double by Megan Miller — Hicks didn’t hesitate to make a change, bring in Ladines to play the role of closer.
“She just shut it down,” Hicks said of the sophomore.
In five innings of work, Fields allowed five hits and walked one. Ladines allowed four hits and walked one in her two innings.
Hicks said his team features three pitchers he can go to at any time — Ladines, Fields and Lindsey Amundson. Most high school softball teams depend on one ace pitcher.
“I really don’t like numbering pitchers. We try to match pitchers to teams,” Hicks said. “I like the idea of having different looks.”
Perhaps the best part about the three Arlington pitchers — they are all sophomores.
The Bruins (2-2, 2-2) threatened in the seventh inning. Three Cascade singles loaded the bases with one out before Megan Miller hit into a force out at the plate. Cascade’s Sam Munger hit a two-run double, but Megan Miller was thrown out at third on the play for the game-ending out.
“The way we practice is to always think a play ahead. It reinforces that what we are teaching is right,” Hicks said of the last play of the game.
Ladines batted 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead Arlington. Megan Miller batted 3-for-4 with a double lead the Cascade offense.
Hicks said he is happy with the way his team has played, but also wants the team to keep improving.
“I don’t want these kids peaking right now. Right now they are a work in progress,” Hicks said. “I don’t think we are even close to where want to be the second half of the season.”
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
