Prep softball: Senators stack runs in 14-1 triumph over Panthers

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.