Softball gets first district win of the season

Softball gets first district win of the season
 In its fifth attempt of the season, Oakdale softball got its first district win with a 12-7 home victory over Pickering. The win improved the team's district record to 1-4 and overall record to 6-9.
 "It was huge getting that win especially because our girls' bats finally came alive," said assistant coach Ben Jones. 
 "We had an excellent game at bat," said head coach Alycia McDaniel. "If we would play like that every game, I guarantee you we could make a huge run into the playoffs. People would be shocked, but we have to bat like that consistently."
 The turning point of the game, according to Jones, was when the Pickering pitcher got hurt trying to field a ball down the third base line. This caused her to take something off of her speed and allowed the Warriors to catch up to her pitches. "Whenever she slowed down, our girls just finally started catching up and started knocking the ball around different places," Jones said.
 The coaches saw production from the top and the bottom of their lineup. True freshman Lauren Holmes led off and earned two walks and a base hit. She also turned in six catches at right field. Skylar Chambley batted in the two-hole and found success at the plate after moving back to slap hitting. Ashton Gilley at the bottom of the lineup also found success at the plate getting a double and a triple. In doing so Gilley earned the game ball.
 "As soon as we started hitting, they got confidence, and we just rolled with it," McDaniel said. "I was so proud of them. You could have sworn we won the State championship because we weren't predicted to beat them, and it was very exciting for our girls. They came together as a team, and everybody hit the ball."
 The success at the plate against Pickering was short lived as the Warriors dropped the next two games 10-5 against Many and 4-0 against Menard. "Every time we face off against one of these faster pitchers, our girls take too long to adjust to the speed, and it ends up killing us in the long run," explained Jones. 
 The Warriors were down 7-3 to Many in the Bottom of the Fifth and scored a couple runs cutting it to 7-5. Kassie Tichy stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and popped up for the second out. Mckenzie Richmond then struck out to end the inning. 
 Against Menard the coaches planned on using their newly improved defense as a strength to get the in against the Eagles. "We had a plan going in to make them chase on the right side and hit to Lauren (Holmes) over at right and Kassie (Tichy) at second to our strongest defensive players," Jones said. "We were working that game plan, and it was working, but we couldn't put the bat on the ball."
 Menard scored a run in the Top of the First as well as the Top of the Fourth before adding two runs in the Top of the Fifth. "I'm proud of the girls for not giving up," McDaniel said. "Usually Menard has never not 10-run ruled Oakdale. So I'm proud that they didn't lay down and let them 10-run us."
 "I have all the faith in the world in them," added McDaniel. "The thing is I know this group of girls, and they have so much potential. If they would only look and see it in themselves, the program would turn around."