Sports
Lady Tigers crush Temple 18-9
Friday, 20 April 2012 by David Tuma
Alex Wilson runs to third base at a recent Lady Tigers home game. Belton downed Temple 18-9 and head to Harker Heights Friday. Photo by Mark MagnanThere was a brief thundershower prior to the softball game Tuesday night but the floodgates opened in the first inning of the showdown at Lady Tiger Field between Temple and Belton.
It all really started after the visiting Tem-Cats got a lead-off homer, a single, a double and another single to take an early 3-0 lead.
Sounds bad --- right? Well, read on!
In the bottom of the first frame, Coach Matt Blackburn's ladies unleashed a barrage of hits that sent NINE scores across home plate and there was one runner left on third base when the final out was made!
Sophomore first baseman Allyson Bishoff led the way.
"Bishoff hit a homerun and a bases-clearing triple for six RBI's in the first," exclaimed Blackburn.
The joyous cheers from the home crowd could be heard by the fans at neighboring Tiger Field, watching Belton drop Copperas Cove 8-1.
Starting pitcher Meredith Langford and catcher Shelby Hitt both drew a base on balls and Bishoff uncorked a three run shot over the right center field wall. Lauren Ramsey and Skylar Stewart each doubled, Becca Alcozer, Billi Farr and Kirstin Whiteside all walked, leading to three more runs before Langford walked and Hitt was put on by a fielder's choice before Bishoff sent a triple into short center field, clearing the base. After just one inning, Belton led 9-3.
The tem-Cats picked up one m ore run in the second but the Lady Tigers weren't through --- Ramsey, Stewart and Kaitlyn Dunahoo each scored for a 12 run lead.
Temple added a score in the third and Belton went back to the dugout 1-2-3.
Alex Wilson then relieved Langford in the circle. "Meredith started and did a good job znd got us through three," said Blackburn. "then, Alex came in a pitched the final four and did a really good job."
The Tem-Cats added their last three runs of the game in the fourth and Belton got just one single.
Hold on --- "the icing on the cake" came in the fifth inning. No score for the Tem-Cats and here came Belton's big bats again!
With two outs --- Bishoff walked (Temple had seen enough of her at the plate), Wilson singled, Ramsey doubled, Stewart and Alcozer got back-to-back singles, Farr drew a base- on- balls and Whiteside singled for a total of SIX more runs.
That was the end of the scoring and the Lady Tigers (11-13, 4-5) had rung up an 18-9 victory over rival Temple (11-6, 7-2) and Belton remained in the playoff picture.
"It was a total team effort...we had to have a win," said Blackburn. "It was a high-pressure ball game and our kids really performed. Temple is a very good-hitting team but we were able to outhit them tonight. A total of 27 runs in the game!"
All but one of Belton's runs were "earned" and the same for Temple...what a game!
The Lady Tigers hit the road Thursday traveling to Harker Heights, game time is 7:00pm.
