Lady Tiger Softball Registers First 2023 Win
April 21, 2023 at 9:14 p.m.
Lady Tiger Softball Registers First 2023 Win
By Chip Davenport-
The Lady Tigers put forth their strongest defensive effort (1 error), scored seven runs among the first three innings, and fought off Wawasee’s 4-run rally in the top of the seventh inning on a windy, muggy evening.
Warsaw head coach Sam Tew discussed the team’s drive and determination despite the preceding 0-6 start, some of those losses coming against some of Northeast Indiana’s best softball teams.
“(W)e see the hard work these athletes put in every day,” Tew said. “We see everything they are capable of accomplishing, and we tell them that every day. They just needed them to start believing it themselves and tonight they proved (it).”
The win did not come without what seems to be customary bumps and bruises for Warsaw. The Tigers have endured many visits to their dugout by the athletic training staff throughout the early part of their season, and Thursday night was no exception.
Freshman hurler Addison Eastwood was hit on the chin by a line drive in the top of the fourth inning, shook off the injury, and pitched a complete game allowing 10 hits, five runs (four earned), walking and striking out two batters.
Four of those five runs came in the aforementioned seventh inning Warrior rally. This was Eastwood the Younger’s first varsity win on the mound.
Lauren Eastwood, Warsaw’s slugging senior catcher, was cleared to play this week after a home plate collision last Saturday and didn’t miss a beat at the plate.
The Lady Tiger catcher collected three hits including a home run (her fourth in 2023) and a double, scored two runs and drove in four more.
“(O)ur bats were alive tonight,” Tew exclaimed. “Everyone was making contact and moving runners, or they were going deep into the count. We challenge them every game to go up to the plate with a base hit mentality, and tonight they did….”
Eastwood’s 3-4 effort at the plate was complemented by efforts among Kali Ousley (2-4, 2 runs scored, RBI), Addy Williams (2-4, 1 run), pitcher Addison Eastwood (2-4), Jade Walters (2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI), and Abbi Gonzalez (2-3, 2 runs, RBI, BB).
Ousley continues to be a thief on the basepaths, adding two more Thursday night with help from Walters and Nekiana Hamilton, who added two thefts and one theft respectively.
The Wawasee Warriors (6-4 overall, 0-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference [NLC]) were led offensively by shortstop Arisai Garcia’s perfect night at the plate (4-4, 2B, 2 runs), along with the efforts from Haylee Allen, and Brooke Catron (one double each), along with one hit each among Sylvia Dixon (2 RBI), Natalie Katzer, Heatherlynn Holder (1 RBI), and pitcher Evelyn Duncan, who also went the distance on the mound while striking out 9 Lady Tigers.
Warsaw moved to 1-6 overall, and to 1-1 in the NLC after Thursday night’s win.
The Lady Tigers put forth their strongest defensive effort (1 error), scored seven runs among the first three innings, and fought off Wawasee’s 4-run rally in the top of the seventh inning on a windy, muggy evening.
Warsaw head coach Sam Tew discussed the team’s drive and determination despite the preceding 0-6 start, some of those losses coming against some of Northeast Indiana’s best softball teams.
“(W)e see the hard work these athletes put in every day,” Tew said. “We see everything they are capable of accomplishing, and we tell them that every day. They just needed them to start believing it themselves and tonight they proved (it).”
The win did not come without what seems to be customary bumps and bruises for Warsaw. The Tigers have endured many visits to their dugout by the athletic training staff throughout the early part of their season, and Thursday night was no exception.
Freshman hurler Addison Eastwood was hit on the chin by a line drive in the top of the fourth inning, shook off the injury, and pitched a complete game allowing 10 hits, five runs (four earned), walking and striking out two batters.
Four of those five runs came in the aforementioned seventh inning Warrior rally. This was Eastwood the Younger’s first varsity win on the mound.
Lauren Eastwood, Warsaw’s slugging senior catcher, was cleared to play this week after a home plate collision last Saturday and didn’t miss a beat at the plate.
The Lady Tiger catcher collected three hits including a home run (her fourth in 2023) and a double, scored two runs and drove in four more.
“(O)ur bats were alive tonight,” Tew exclaimed. “Everyone was making contact and moving runners, or they were going deep into the count. We challenge them every game to go up to the plate with a base hit mentality, and tonight they did….”
Eastwood’s 3-4 effort at the plate was complemented by efforts among Kali Ousley (2-4, 2 runs scored, RBI), Addy Williams (2-4, 1 run), pitcher Addison Eastwood (2-4), Jade Walters (2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI), and Abbi Gonzalez (2-3, 2 runs, RBI, BB).
Ousley continues to be a thief on the basepaths, adding two more Thursday night with help from Walters and Nekiana Hamilton, who added two thefts and one theft respectively.
The Wawasee Warriors (6-4 overall, 0-2 in the Northern Lakes Conference [NLC]) were led offensively by shortstop Arisai Garcia’s perfect night at the plate (4-4, 2B, 2 runs), along with the efforts from Haylee Allen, and Brooke Catron (one double each), along with one hit each among Sylvia Dixon (2 RBI), Natalie Katzer, Heatherlynn Holder (1 RBI), and pitcher Evelyn Duncan, who also went the distance on the mound while striking out 9 Lady Tigers.
Warsaw moved to 1-6 overall, and to 1-1 in the NLC after Thursday night’s win.
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