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The West Senators defeated the Chesapeake Panthers 14-1 in a softball game, scoring five runs in the fifth inning and eight in the seventh. This victory marks the Senators' 12th game this season with 10 or more runs.
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CANNONSBURG, Ky. — Runs have come in bunches for the West Senators' softball program.
That story was no different in a Tri-State Softball Showcase matchup for the Senators against Chesapeake on Saturday afternoon at Boyd County High School, as Dani Coleman's group put together a five-run fifth and an eight-run seventh to collect a 14-1 triumph over the Panthers.
The contest marked the 12th time in 22 games in which West scored 10 or more runs. Coleman's Senators (14-8) are 11-1 in those contests.
"We just weren't really connecting right there at the beginning," Coleman said. "We were off on the spin, and that's a credit to Chesapeake's execution. We just changed our course, made better pitch selections and took more pitches. We became more patient through the course of the game."
Through four innings of work, however, Chesapeake (7-12) managed to keep the game scoreless. Starting pitcher Madalyn Fry allowed just two hits through the first four frames to keep the game deadlocked.
"The resilience, the grit, the determination and the competitiveness in believing in one another and not giving up — that's what a really good team can do," Chesapeake coach Brendan Medley said. "We're really just trying to set the culture and the expectations of what our program should be about and can do. The girls are grasping that and working to get better every day."
West freshman starter Aubree Hayslip countered with a complete game three-hitter. Hayslip got the start instead of West ace Layla Kamer, as Coleman looks to establish a second pitcher whom the Senators can go to with postseason play drawing near.
"We usually use Kamer, but with tournament play approaching, we just wanted to get a different look," Coleman said. "Aubree brings something different, and she's really disciplined. She hit her spots well (on Saturday), worked well and stayed composed and controlled under pressure."
West busted the game open in the fifth inning behind a big outing from sophomore catcher and two-hole hitter Lainey Cook.
Following a leadoff single from nine-hole hitter Ally Hedge, Cook took a 1-0 pitch to left-center field and drove the ball over the fence for a 2-0 West lead.
The Senators struck thrice more in the fifth as a walk by Kylee McCleese, a single by Hayslip and an error loaded the bases for senior Maleah Whitman, who drove in two runners with a two-RBI single. Junior first baseman Ariane Jordan provided the remaining salvo on a sacrifice fly later in the inning to set the lead.
"With confidence, this is one of the first years that I can say that our team has power from the top of the lineup down through the 10th or 11th player on our roster," Coleman said. "Their ability to put it in play is really good. I just trust them to do their thing and be patient at the plate."
Chesapeake collected a run to answer West behind singles from Jaeden Anderson and Haylee Lafon in the bottom half, cutting the lead to a 5-1 margin behind a plate approach in which the Panthers put the ball in play in 21 of their 22 at-bats on Saturday. The remaining at-bat resulted in a Panther reaching via a hit batter.
The West Senators won the game against the Chesapeake Panthers with a final score of 14-1.
The West Senators scored five runs in the fifth inning and eight runs in the seventh inning.
The West Senators have a record of 11-1 when scoring 10 or more runs this season.
The head coach of the West Senators softball team is Dani Coleman.
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"If you would've sat here and told me that we were going to go in a seven-inning game, not strike out once and put the ball in play, I would've told you that we would like our chances," Medley said. "We've been injury-riddled all season. We started with 17 and we're down to 10 healthy girls, and our 10th one just came back. We've played several games this season with nine."
West put the game out of reach in the top of the seventh with eight insurance runs. Hedge posted an RBI single, McCleese added a two-RBI single, Ally Buckner had an RBI double to left field and Hayslip nabbed a two-RBI double to deep center field as part of the crooked number.
Buckner, Cook, McCleese and Hayslip combined to go 9 for 18 as the top four batters in the order for the Senators, with a home run, a triple, two double, eight RBIs and seven runs scored.
"Our front of the lineup produces," Coleman said. "They're very versatile. They can bunt or hit. The back of the lineup is starting to connect a little bit better as well. We've played around with the order a little bit at the back."
West improved to 14-8 ahead of a big Southern Ohio Conference III contest at Valley on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Chesapeake returns to action against Ohio Valley Conference foe Portsmouth on Monday.