By Jeff Odom
The Sunlake softball team exploded offensively at home Feb. 25, dispatching Academy at the Lakes 15-1 at home in five innings.
Senior third baseman Stephanie Frances led the Seahawks (4-4) at the plate, going 3-of-4 with a double and three RBI to mercy rule a Wildcats (2-1) squad that reached the Class 2A regional finals last year.
It was a complete turnaround at the plate from the team’s first six games in which the lineup mustered only a .216 average.
“It’s a huge confidence booster after our first few games,” Frances said. “We were in a bit of an offensive slump coming in, but we were also facing a lot of really good pitchers. It was good for us to come out here and win offensively like that, and it’s going to help us later on.”
The academy got on the scoreboard in the first inning when pitcher Sidney Boynton brought home Katherine Smith on a sacrifice fly to left field. That, however, would be the only blemish for Sunlake pitcher Cassidy Kallenborn as the sophomore mowed through the Wildcats lineup, retiring 11 in a row at one point.
“I knew they had a few good hitters on their team, but we have batting on our team also to back me up,” said Kallenborn, who gave up two hits and struck out six en route to her second win of the season.
The Seahawks responded to the 1-0 deficit with eight runs in the bottom of the frame.
After Cassidy Roberts singled with one out and Frances reached on an error, Mikayla Cochran stroked a double to give Sunlake a one-run lead.
The Seahawks brought 13 batters to the plate in the inning and led 8-1 thanks to two more errors by the Wildcats’ infield, which had six on the night.
“They’ve been working hard to get our hitting on track,” said Sunlake coach Nelson Garcia. “We still going slow right now and we’re not where we should be, but they’re working hard on their swings and it’s coming along.”
A double to the right field fence by Frances in the third scored two more runs. She would continue to pile it on against Boynton (14 hits, 11 earned runs, three walks and two strikeouts) with another RBI as part of a four-run fourth.
“I got off to a pretty slow start after having a big season last year, so it was nice to kind of get back into the swing of things,” Frances said. “It’s a boost of confidence for me and it’s definitely helpful.”
The lone bright spot for the Wildcats was shortstop and University of South Florida commit Lauren Evans, whose six defensive assists kept the gap from growing even wider.
Academy coach Jerry English said it was definitely a loss to learn from.
“We did mechanical things wrong tonight, and Sunlake had the best hitting game I’ve seen against these girls in two years,” English said. “They hit an awfully good pitcher, and they earned it. We have several young kids playing for us this year and it’s a growing experience, and now we know what we need to do.”
The academy hosted Seven Rivers Christian March 4, but results were not available by press time.
The Wildcats travel to Cambridge Christian March 5 at 4 p.m., while the Seahawks will be at River Ridge the same night at 7 p.m.
