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Jones, Oran stymie Lady Bulldogs in five innings
SIKESTON -- Looking to rebound from a shutout against Jackson earlier this week, the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs didn't fair much better Thursday when they took on Oran and their hurler Anna Jones.
Jones held the Lady Bulldogs to only four hits as Oran jumped out to an early five-run lead before cruising to an 11-0 win in five innings via the mercy rule.
"We come out with a lack of intensity and focus," Sikeston head coach Eric Voorhees said. "It was evident in the first inning. They laid down a pretty good bunt and we made a heck of a play on it, but just made an error. That was the first pitch and the first play of the game.
"It kind of set the tone for the rest of what happened. We weren't real focused."
In their first trip to the plate the Lady Eagles rallied for two runs before adding another three runs in the second frame to go ahead 5-0. Oran went on to score in each of the final three innings to eventually work their way into mercy-rule territory.
With her team already leading 9-0 going into the top of the fifth, Addie Kielhofner put the mercy rule into effect after leading off with a double and stealing both second and third base.
Chrissy Sauceda sent a fielder's choice to the short stop to plate Kielfhofner before Tatum May came around to score to make up the 11-0 final.
"When we get up in front in the first inning we have good enough defense where we can hold a team down," Oran head coach Jim Eftink said. "Where we have trouble is falling behind and it's hard for us to come back sometimes."
Sikeston had a chance to extend the game in the bottom of the fifth when a couple Lady Eagle errors led to the Lady Bulldogs putting runners on second and third with no outs.
Before Sikeston could break up the shutout, however, Jones got a strikeout and a caught foul ball to leave the Lady Bulldogs down to their final out.
With one final groundout back to the pitcher's circle, Jones sealed her team's 11-0 victory.
"The first time we played them it was the same situation," Voorhees said of stranding the runners. "We had four different opportunities with runners on second and third.
"It just seems every time that situation comes up you have a power hitter up, who's somebody who isn't comfortable with bunting. It's just one of those deals."
On the mound Jones cruised through all five innings to pick up the complete-game win. She allowed four hits and two walks while fanning seven, including three in a row to end the first inning.
"We hit the ball, fielded the ball and Annie Jones was phenomenal on the mound," Eftink said. "She had them off balance all day long.
"I'm surprised she got 11 runs today because normally she gets one run and has to make it last the whole game."
Added Voorhees on Jones, "She featured a pretty good plus fastball. We just struggled to catch up to it and that was the theme of the game for us offensively."
The Lady Eagles' 16-hit effort was led by Alli Cummins, who went 4 for 4 on the contest with a double and a run scored. Kielhofner, Sauceda, Jones, Taylor Nenninger, Jaime Kern had two hits each.
For Sikeston, Annie Ramey, Madeline Witt, Lexi Lambert and Madeline Smith all contributed a single.
The loss leaves the Lady Bulldogs at 4-14 on the season while Oran improves to 10-4.
Oran 231 32 - 11
Sikeston 000 00 - 0
WP -- Anna Jones. LP -- Madeline Smith. Multiple hitters: (O) Addie Kielhofner 2-3, Chrissy Sauceda 2-4, Allie Cummins 4-4, Anna Jones 2-4, Taylor Nenninger 2-4, Jaime Kern 2-3. 2B -- (O) Cummins, Jones, Molle McConnell.