South Warren entered the game against Allen County-Scottsville having scored at least double digits in runs in five out of its last six games, but that much run support was not needed against the Lady Patriots on Wednesday night.
Sophomore pitcher Taylor Enlow dominated and threw a complete game inside the circle, and the Spartans exploded for four runs in the bottom of the first on the way to a 5-1 victory at Buchanon Park.
“Taylor did a great job,” South Warren coach Kelly Reynolds said. “She really kept them in check. Her spins on her balls were working really good, she was throwing a lot of inside-outside screwballs, curveballs, and she just really kept (ACS) in check at the bat.”
Enlow allowed just one run on six hits and two walks while striking out three in a full seven innings of work.
Offensively South Warren was led by junior Alexis Isable, who went 2-for-3 with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first that put the Spartans in front for good.
Madison Stumbo had both a RBI single and a RBI double, and Lauren Martin collected a pair of singles for the Spartans.
South Warren (8-2) trailed 1-0 going into the bottom of the first as the Lady Patriots drew first blood on a two-out RBI single by Allie Byrn in the top half of the inning.
It didn’t take the Spartans long to erase the deficit.
Martin reached on an error to lead off the inning before Emma Mills smacked a single to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Jess Bush grounded out into a fielder’s choice, and Stumbo blasted a RBI double to right to tie the game at 1-all.
Isable then crunched a ball that seemed to just carry, barely clearing the top of the fence in left center for a three-run shot.
“I really had no clue it was over until I was rounding second,” Isable said. “I thought it had hit the top of the fence and fell on the inside instead of the outside, so I just kept on running.”
Allen County-Scottsville (12-5) struggled to put anything together consistently on offense, but the Lady Patriots still had some scoring opportunities that were robbed due to some great plays by the Spartans’ fielders—such as center fielder Bailee Collins’ diving catch that left an ACS runner stranded at third base in the top of the fourth.
“Very, very proud of her,” Reynolds said. “Good plays on her part.”
Defense has been a point of emphasis for the Spartans, who have proved that they can swing the bat in the games that they’ve played so far this season but have made errors on the flip side of the ball as well.
“That’s one of the things that we’ve really been focusing,” Isable said. “We haven’t got as many games in due to the rain, but that’s one of our main focus points. Right now we’re just trying to tighten that up, and with her doing her job in the circle it’s a lot easier to make those defensive plays.”
The Spartans extended their lead on a RBI single by Stumbo in the bottom of the fourth, and Enlow and the South defense remained stout the rest of the way as ACS put just two runners on base in the final three innings.
The Lady Patriots—who lost for the fourth time in five games—will look to bounce back on the road at 15thDistrict rival Glasgow on Thursday night.
Meanwhile South Warren will play on the road at Logan County—the first of five games in a stretch of just as many days leading up to a 14thDistrict showdown at Warren East on Tuesday night.
“We’re just looking forward to getting on the field,” Isable said. “The rain has kind of killed us lately.”
