Kayla Ulrich Sends Two In Second
The energy was up at home on Thursday. The Lady Eagles dominated the Hermann Lady Bearcats, 15-0. Kayla Ulrich blasted two home runs in the bottom of the second to add to their already 13 unanswered runs. Sullivan brought in 10 runs in the bottom of the second to secure the shutout victory.
Evvie Blankenship got the start on the mound and gave up a hit after two outs at the top of the first. Sullivan stepped up to bat and came alive immediately when Ulrich hit a line drive single to center. The Lady Eagles had a two out rally and Evvie Blankenship hit a line drive single that scored Ulrich in from third. Ava DeClue came in as a courtesy runner, advancing to second and third on passed balls. Molly Lohden walked. Dorie Richardson hit a line drive to left and scored DeClue on the single. Lohden also scored on an error.
Evvie Blankenship was stellar on the mound and struck out the next three batters. The ten run triumph started when Hayli Venable laid down a line drive double to center. She then stole third and scored on a wild pitch. After Grace Halmick flew out to center, Ulrich took a pitch inside and launched her first homer of the season to center. Morgan Braun hit a line drive single and Alexis Funkhouser was hit by the pitch. Braun then advanced to third on a passed ball and Funkhouser also advanced. Evvie Blankenship then delivered again on a line drive single to center and brought home the runners. DeClue came in as a courtesy runner again before an out was recorded. DeClue advanced to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third after Richardson hit a ground ball and reached on an error. Kali McKendrick came in as a courtesy runner for Richardson and DeClue scored on a wild pitch, McKendrick advanced on the same play. Hannah Campbell walked afterwards. McKendrick advanced to third on a passed ball and scored when Venable hit a ground ball single that also advanced Campbell. Halmick hit a hard ground ball single and scored Campbell. Venable advanced and Halmick advanced to second on the throw. Ulrich sailed another long home run to center and scored Venable and Halmick. The score was 13-0.
The defense of Sullivan really shined on a gorgeous play made by Ulrich to Funkhouser to capture a ground out in the top of the third. The Lady Eagles finished off Hermann in the next half inning. Evvie Blankenship doubled on a fly ball to start the ending. DeClue came in as a courtesy runner for Evvie. Head Coach Ashley Crump always has some tricks up her sleeves and brought in the return of senior Jaedin Blankenship to pinch hit for Lohden. She delivered on a huge line drive to center drive home DeClue. Jaedin Blankenship advanced to second on an error by Hermann. Lohden returned as a pinch runner for Jaedin and Lohden advanced to third on a wild pitch. Richardson walked and Lohden scored on a wild pitch again to win the game, 15-0.
Ulrich gave a monumental performance with two home runs at the same at bat and went 3-3. Evvie Blankenship was also 3-3 at the plate and recorded a staggering six strikeouts on the mound. The Lady Eagles gave up only one hit to the Lady Bearcats.