Lady Bulldogs Roll Over Oakdale 16-0
The hosting Oakdale Lady Eagles were a bit too hospitable Thursday evening as the visiting Wartburg Central Lady Bulldogs blitzed to a 16-0 victory in three innings.
Oakdale’s three pitchers had trouble finding the strike zone and gave 12 Wartburg batters a free ride, eight on walks and four hit by pitches. Wartburg’s five hits drove in eight runs, and an additional eight runs resulted from steals, bases-loaded walks, and hit batters.
On the flip side, Wartburg’s freshman pitcher Lily Kamer went the distance, striking out six in three innings while walking none. The Lady Eagles were limited to two hit singles in the game.
Wartburg took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first. The first three batters walked, and Oakdale committed errors on the next two batters. Oakdale pitcher Rhylan Hicks then got into rhythm and retired the side with two strikeouts and an infield grounder.
Oakdale’s Hunter Bailey led off with a single to left field in the bottom of the first. Later in the inning, Amelia Miller singled to right field. Both Bailey and Miller were stranded as Kamer put the remaining Oakdale batters away with an infield popup and a strikeout.
Wartburg’s offense kicked into high gear in the top of the second. After an initial strikeout, Sydney Aytes singled to center, Edye-Anne Williams drew a walk, and both Caleigh Crouch and Jade Brooks hit doubles. Maelee Hamby walked, and Cassidy Anderson doubled to center. After two more walks, Oakdale finally closed out the Lady Bulldogs on an infield grounder, but the damage had been done as Wartburg scored six runs in the inning.
It was four up and three down for Oakdale in the bottom of the second. After Lily Brasel reached first on a catcher’s interference call, Kamer struck out two batters and the third flied out to left field. Wartburg led 11-0 after two complete innings.
Wartburg loaded the bases in the top of the third on an error, a hit batter, and a walk. Brooks stepped to the plate and hit a long fly ball to the left field fence, scoring three runs and advancing Brooks to third. Brooks later stole home on a passed ball, and Taylor Collins scored when Ella Monroe was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Wartburg added five runs in the third.
Kamer continued her excellent pitching performance in the bottom of the third, putting away the side with two strikeouts and a fly ball to left field. The Lady Eagles were again scoreless, and Wartburg earned a 16-0 victory.
