by Malcolm Butler
Anslee Woods homered and drove in three runs and Ava Lantrip drove in two more and went the distance in the circle to lead No. 12 seed Cedar Creek to a 7-2 win over No. 21 Delta Charter Thursday night in the first round of the Select School Division IV playoffs.
The Lady Cougars (19-13) now advance to face No. 5 seed Central Private next week in a second round road contest. Date and time are TBA.
Creek held a slim 3-2 advantage with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Woods drove the first pitch she saw down the left field line for the solo home run.
The Lady Cougars then registered three straight run-scoring hits with two outs in the bottom of the sixth to blow the game open.
“I was waiting on that big inning all game,” said head coach Julie Riser. “The insurance (runs) were big for us. We knew the top of their order was coming up in the seventh. The strike zone was tight, and when you have to put it over the plate, they are going to have to hit it and we are going to hit it.
“I’m just glad we were able to string some hits together and we were able to score some more runs.”
Woods proved to be a catalyst offensively for Cedar Creek. The freshman rightfielder singled to centerfield with one out in the first inning to give the Lady Cougars a 2-0 advantage after Lantrip’s RBI grounder to second plated the first run.
Creek had a chance to increase its lead but a defensive gem by Storm shortstop Ally Atwood on a flare to shallow left field off the bat of Cadence Spangler resulted in a double play to end the threat.
Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the third inning, Woods came through again, lining a pitch to left field for a sacrifice fly, scoring Hydi Boyd from third base.
“Anslee had a really good weekend, but when we played Ouachita Tuesday, she struggled,” said Riser. “It becomes such a mental game this time of the year. Sometimes you just have to let (the failures) go, and sometimes that’s hard for those girls to do.
“She hit really well yesterday in practice, and she came today with a great mindset of she could do it. She was on time all three times she came to the plate.”
Delta Charter’s defense once again made a run-scoring play to end the third as a line drive up the middle off the bat of Anna Claire Fitzgerald was caught by Atwood, who stepped on the second base bag to turn another double play.
Delta Charter (12-17) cut the deficit to 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning on a two-out RBI double to right centerfield before Wood’s solo shot upped the lead back to two runs for the Lady Cougars.
The bottom of the sixth proved to be the big frame. Molly Boyd doubled to left field with one out, and then after Kendall Ramsey flew out to centerfield for the second out, the Lady Cougars came through with some clutch two-out hits.
Presley Wall singled to centerfield to plate Molly Boyd and then Hydi Boyd followed with an RBI double to right centerfield. Lantrip finished the trifecta of run-scoring hits with an RBI single up the middle as the lead ballooned to 7-2.
Lantrip allowed a one-out single in the top of the seventh before retiring the final two batters to seal the victory. She allowed two runs — one earned — on five hits and three walks while striking out six in the complete-game win.
“She has thrown complete games a couple of times,” said Riser. “I wasn’t ever really worried about her today.”
Wall (2-3, 2 runs, RBI), Hydi Boyd (1-3, 2 runs, RBI), Lantrip (2-4, run, 2 RBI), and Woods (2-3, run, 3 RBI) led Cedar Creek at the plate.
Ava Taylor took the loss for Delta Charter, allowing seven runs — six earned — on 10 hits, two walks and one strikeout.
