WL quietly wins division title

By By Will Bardwell / staff writer
September 30, 2004
COLLINSVILLE After their game against Morton on Wednesday afternoon, the West Lauderdale Lady Knights gathered silently in the infield around head coach Jerry Boatner.
Boatner spoke so quietly as to be inaudible just a few feet away. His players listened to his words silently and soberly before just as quietly packing up their bats and gloves.
You would've never guessed that West Lauderdale had just won the slow-pitch softball Division 5-3A championship.
The win over Morton was West Lauderdale's 20th victory of the season against just four losses. The Lady Knights, ranked No. 4 in the state by the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, are 10-1 in division play.
West Lauderdale jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first inning when five of its first six batters reached base safely. Kayla Eubanks drove in the Lady Knights' first run on an RBI triple to score Holly Herrington, who drew a leadoff walk.
Two batters later, Katie McAlister scored Eubanks with a single. Two batters after that, Josie Mathews came across on a Sydney Cagle single.
The Lady Knights blew the game wide open in the third inning with a six-run outburst. The first four batters of the inning McAlister, Kristi Lantz, Cagle and Morgan Gullette each reached base and later scored, putting the game far out of Morton's reach.
All the while, West Lauderdale's defense was just as efficient, strangling Morton's batters with on-target pitching and sharp plays in the field.
Ashley Helms drove in the winning run for the Lady Knights, bringing Gullette home on a single in the bottom of the fifth. The 10-0 lead after five innings gave West Lauderdale the run-rule victory.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Lady Knights junior varsity team also earned a 10-run-rule win over Morton, rolling to a 12-2 victory.
West Lauderdale hosts Carthage today, with the junior varsity game beginning at 5 p.m. and the varsity contest starting at 6 p.m.