Bailee Collins could not have hit her first career home run at a better time.
With their backs against the wall after five straight scoreless innings, South Warren (19-0) saw Collins launch a two-run homer over the center field wall to give the Lady Spartans a 2-0 lead, which was a huge contribution in their 3-0 win.
Collins claims that it was almost too good be true.
“I didn’t actually see it until I was almost to second base,” said the junior outfielder. “I was in shock. I did not know that it had gone over.”
The home run would spoil a tremendous outing by Greenwood pitcher GraceAnn Rimel, who had used a combination of speed changes and an unusual delivery to give the Lady Spartans fits all evening.
“She did get in some trouble in a few spots, but she did a really good job of pitching her way out of it,” said Greenwood head coach Steven Albert. “Her only bad pitch was unfortunately the one that defined the game, that home run.”
“From playing East last night, it was a big difference in speed,” said Collins. “We just tried to sit back and wait on it.”
“Timing was an issue,” South Warren head coach Chris Riggs said of the Lady Spartans bats against the senior Rimel. “When we did try to square it up good it was right at somebody or in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
That seemed to be the story through the first five innings of the game, as both teams stranded multiple runners on base and could not get anything going.
To make matters worse, a scary collision between South Warren courtesy runner Abbey Mills and Greenwood shortstop Alex Grubbs left Grubbs out for the rest of the game with a leg injury.
“(Alex) will be okay,” said Albert. “Thankfully the trainer said that she didn’t have any structural damage. She is going to get it checked out (on Thursday).”
After Collins’ home run, the Lady Spartans added one more run in the top of the seventh inning when a ground out to first base by Madison Daugherty brought in courtesy runner Elizabeth Spencer to give South Warren a 3-0 lead.
Shelby Nunn picked up the win on the mound for the Lady Spartans in relief of Karson Williams, who pitched a shutout in the first four innings.
Greenwood (9-9) will host Warren East on Thursday at 5 p.m. South Warren will host Bowling Green on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
