The Routine Trips Up Frogs;

Larned Indians Win Doubleheader 2-1 and 7-3

by Dennis Gonzales & The Pratt Tribune

April 17, 2008

PHS varsity softball head coach Mike Forshee was happy with Brooke Blankenship's performance at Larned Tuesday. But, at the end of the doubleheader, the results were not what he wanted.

"The line score tells the story," said Forshee. "Brooke threw two good games and _should have won both. We did not give her much support." The lack of support led to the Lady Greenbacks' 2-1 and 7-3 losses.

PHS entered the day 4-2 and 2-2 in the Mid-State Activities Association. The losses even their MSAA mark at 2-2. Blankenship allowed one earned run over 14 innings and seven hits.

PHS mustered six hits in both games, but could not overcome slim early deficits. Eight errors, three in game one and five in game two, pot marked the losses. Forshee had been concerned with his team's trouble cleanly converting routine plays. "Routine groundballs and fly balls hurt us," said the head coach of Tuesday's games.

In game two, a misplayed routine ground ball opened the gates to four unearned Larned runs.

Game one, the Indians jumped up 2-0 after two innings, but were held scoreless the final five innings. PHS pushed a lone run across in the fourth. Ashton Neumann, who was 2 for 3, had the lone RBI, scoring Hannah Page.

"We lost our aggressiveness at the plate and could not put the bat on the ball when we needed it - even a ground ball," said Forshee. Strikeouts were many. The Lady Frogs returned to the dugout 12 times after three strikes. Blankenship struck out four Indians and walked one.

In game two, PHS squandered a 3-2 fifth-inning lead.

A two-out error led to four Indians runs. At the inning's conclusion, the Lady Greenbacks trailed 7-2. Again, Blankenship recorded four strikeouts. She did not walk a batter.

"If we would have competed at the high level we talked about, two losses would be easier to understand, but to give games away like that is unacceptable," said Forshee. "We have to get mentally tough and find those girls that want to do this on a consistent basis."

PHS hosts Scott City 4 p.m. Friday, April 18.

PHS Offense - Game One
Heather Goertz 1-3; Olivia Barber 1-3; Hannah Page 1-3.

PHS Offense - Game Two
Rebecca Slief 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI; Haley Pevoteaux 1-2, 1 run; Ashton Neumann 1-4, RBI; Olivia Barber 1-2, RBI.