Power surge: Three home runs lift Sikeston into district semifinals

Lady Bulldogs use long ball to defeat Cape Central 9-3

sd_sports@yahoo.com

JACKSON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldog's first round game of the Class 4, District 1 tournament gave them a chance to erase some bad memories.

It's something they have wanted to do and talked about since losing in the first round of last year's tournament.

Wednesday afternoon finally gave them that chance and they didn't let it slip through their fingers.

As the No. 5 seed, Sikeston (14-7) completed a mild upset over the No. 4 seeded Cape Central Lady Tigers, 9-3, at Jackson City Park as two seniors, Sydney Davied and Sarah Hopson, led them all the way helping to clear their disappointing past.

"It sure does," Davied said about forgetting last year's early round oust. "We came back and showed them who's boss."

The Lady Bulldogs didn't waste time clearing their history, as they put up two runs in each of the first two innings. An RBI, ground-rule double by Davied in the top of the first inning gave Sikeston the early 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Nicki James reached on an error which gave Davied a chance to score as well putting the No. 5 seed up 2-0.

In the second inning, Hopson belted the first of her two home runs. A 2-run shot to left field put Sikeston up 4-0. Hopson's second blast came in the top of the fourth when she hit a solo shot to straight center field.

"The seniors really stepped up with the hitting and fielding," said Lisa James, Sikeston assistant coach who was filling in for head coach Tiffany Morgan who was ejected in the Lady Bulldogs' previous game. "I'm really proud of the girls for the hits, not just the seniors, but for all the starters the way they were hitting the ball."

The power surge continued for the Lady Bulldogs in the sixth when Davied answered Cape Central's tactics with the sure-swinging Hopson, when they decided to intentionally walk the senior.

After Hopson scored on an error from Madison Chaney's at-bat, Davied sent Sikeston's third home run over the left center field fence giving Sikeston a 9-1 lead.

"She just took my spot is what she did," Hopson said about Davied home run.

Going right along with Sikeston's Wednesday mastery, Davied pitched a complete game while giving up five hits and striking out seven. It was a game Davied said she won't soon forget.

"I felt like it was my best game I've ever pitched," said Davied. "I really wanted to win. Sarah (Dixon) called great pitches and I hit my spots."

Hopson and Davied combined for six hits against Cape Central's Katie Orenstein and Bailey Kratochvil. Sikeston had a total of seven hits.

"Because of (Davied's) pitching, that takes it into the dugout," said Hopson about her team's hitting. "So, when your defense is great, you come out hitting great."

"The girls have been wanting this for a while," said James about their district win. "They've been talking about it and it's been on their mind. They've been focused, they've been pulling together as a team and they were ready to play."

Before their game with Cape Central, the Lady Bulldogs went out for breakfast as a team continuing to build on team unity, which is something they have preached all season long.

With the way they played Wednesday, will there be another breakfast before their game against Hillsboro.

"We're going to have another one (Thursday), assured Davied.

Sikeston 220 113 0 -- 9

Cape Central 000 102 0 -- 3

WP -- Sydney Davied. LP -- Katie Orenstein. Multiple hitters -- (S) Sarah Hopson 3-3, Sydney Davied 3-4. 2B -- (S) Davied; (C) Destiny Whitney, Samantha McLemore. HR -- (S) Hopson 2, Davied.