The Daviess County Lady Panthers improved to 3-0 in 9th District play when they took down Apollo 7-3 Monday at AHS in a much different game than the two teams had back on April 22 when DC needed a walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh to take the game.
DC coach John Biggs said his team used the previous matchup for fuel.
“I think the way we played them the last time and the way that game ended and we just kind of held on for that victory, we were looking at this as a normal season and where this was all on the time,” he said. “We felt like last time we chased more balls out of the zone than we needed to and we wanted to be a little more patient. I thought we were.”
Neither team could score in the first but Hattie Newman hit a home run to start the top of the second for DC to give them the 1-0 lead. The Lady Panthers added three more runs in the frame and a run in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead after four over the E-gals.
“We set the tone early by getting the lead and then we just missed on a few,” he said. “We’ve had some people struggling right now but we’ve had some other people step up.”
Biggs said getting a lead early not only helps his pitcher but his defense as well.
“When you can do that then I think your pitchers can pitch a bit easier knowing that it’s just one not one mistake,” he said. “Defense is a little more relaxed. I think they can play through some things so that’s big.”
Apollo scored three in the bottom of the fifth to cut it to 5-3 but that’s as close as the host E-gals would get as DC added two more in the top of the seventh to put the game away.
E-gals coach Stephen Julian said they had one goal coming into the game.
“Compete,” he said. “I felt like we competed.”
Despite being down 5-0 in the game, Julian said he was proud his team didn’t fold.
“We battled back, that’s great to see,” he said. “We had a couple errors in the last inning and gave them a couple insurance runs. You’re down two, it’s a little more exciting than being down four.”
Despite their now 4-13 record on the year, Apollo has been trending upward as of late.
Prior to Monday, the E-gals had won three of five, including going 2-1 at last weekend’s Owensboro Catholic Classic at Jack C. Fisher Park.
Julian said if they tighten one area of their game, things will look better come tournament time.
“I feel like we’re getting there,” he said. “We’ve just got to shore up our defense. Our defense has been a letdown most of the year and we’re finding the right kids the right spots come tournament time and that’s the goal … We’ve got to shore up our defense and keep competing. They’re a great ball club and I felt like we were right there with them tonight minus two innings.”
Newman (2-3, RBI, R, HR), Seana Leibfried (2-3, 2 RBIs) and Greysee Whiteker (2-3, RBI, R) led the Lady Panthers at the plate while Kelsea Roby scored twice in the victory. Whiteker also picked up the win in the circle for DC.
For Apollo, Olivia Crawford went 2-3 with a run to lead the E-gals but Crawford not only made an impact at the plate but in the field as well.
The junior centerfielder make several catches in center to keep DC off the bases.
“That’s what we expect,” Julian said. “When those balls are hit and everybody is going ‘Oh that’s a great hit.’ We’re going ‘Oh that better be caught.’ That’s what you’re supposed to do and she played the game she’s supposed to play.”
Daviess County plays at Heritage Hills (Ind.) tonight while Apollo plays Friday at home against Owensboro Catholic in another 9th District contest.
