Ark Valley News - Softball team splits with Salina South

Softball team splits with Salina South
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: April 23, 2015

The Valley Center High School softball team improved to 5-3 with a doubleheader split on the road against Salina South April 21.

The Hornets dropped a close opener, 2-1, but came back to win the nightcap, 6-2.

"We left way too many runners on base," Valley Center coach Corey Jones said. "We out-hit them by a lot. We just couldn't get a hit when we needed it."

Ashlyn Jacobs took the loss in Game 1, despite allowing just three hits and striking out three.

After five scoreless innings, someone finally got something started in the sixth inning. Fortunately for the Hornets, it was from the bat of Lataylah Perez, who singled to right field with two outs to score Kaitlan Stanhope from third.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, it wasn't enough as they left two runners on base.

In the bottom of the sixth, Salina South answered with two runs on two hits.

Valley Center left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh on hits by Elena Turner, Ashley Thorne and Hayden Francis.

Valley Center had 13 hits in the contest, including two each by Taylor Rowley, Thorne and Perez and three by Francis.

The Hornets played error-free ball in both contests.

The second game started where the first left off — with Valley Center threatening but unable to come up with crucial two-out hits.

With Kaylee Burnett in the circle, Salina South built a 2-0 advantage in the first inning. After four scoreless frames, the Hornets came alive in the fifth.

Perez started the rally with a single. Rowley singled to left to move the runner. Wylie Glover reached on an error at short, loading the bases with no outs.

Turner delivered a double to center, scoring Perez and Rowley. Thorne played copycat with a two-RBI double of her own to center field.

The Hornets weren't finished. Stanhope hit a single to left, scoring Thorne.

Buoyed by the offense, Burnett got out of a jam in the fifth to keep Valley Center's lead intact.

Another hit by Rowley and a single by Glover gave Valley Center its final margin in the sixth.

Salina South was retired in order in the seventh.

Rowley, Burnett, Turner and Thorne each had two hits.

Burnett got the win, striking out 10 and walking just three.

Valley Center's May 17 Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League II doubleheader with Andover was postponed to May 8 because of rain.

The Hornets will face Goddard Eisenhower at home April 24. The AVCTL II doubleheader starts at 4:30 p.m.