Trotters tally wins over Deer Lodge
The split of a four-game week, even with two losses, can be viewed as another step in the right direction for the young Plains-Hot Springs Trotters fastpitch softball team.
The week before this past week, the Trotters won their first game of the season with a thrilling 18-16 win over Eureka. A pair of losses to Western 7B foe Anaconda was next up.
The Lady Copperheads took both games of a double-header this past Tuesday, falling 16-10 and 10-9.
But as the case over the past two weeks, the Trotters’ hitters began finding the groove, led by sophomore Aubree Butcher, helped Plains win a pair of conference games against Deer Lodge the next day, 14-6 and 18-3.
Those kinds of offensive numbers who scarce in the early going as the Trotters and coach Jon Zigler searched for the right combinations and, as Zigler said, found “confidence” in themselves.
Mission accomplished against Deer Lodge.
Plains jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener with a trio of first inning runs. They were held scoreless in the second inning, but so were the Lady Wardens. Plains added two more runs in the top of the third, then withstood a four-run Deer Lodge bottom of the third.
But the Trotters shook it off and plated five runs in the top of the fourth, giving them a 10-4 lead. Plains outscored Deer Lodge 4-2 the rest of the way to secure the 14-6 victory.
Butcher went 2-3 for the Trotters, with a game-high six runs batted in, including a multi-run scoring triple. Three other players, Taylor Saner, Bri Kulawinski and Trysten Larson had a pair of RBIs each for Plains, which outhit Deer Lodge 8-2 for their second win of the season.
They completed the double-dip sweep Wednesday when they erased a 2-0 Lady Wardens lead after the top of the first inning by exploding for 14 runs.
The Wardens scored a solo run in the top of the second, but Plains answered that with three of their own in the bottom of the inning, putting them up 17-3.
Deer Lodge could not score in the top of the third while Plains chased one more run across the plate, ending the game via the Mercy rule at 18-3.
The wins boosted Plains to 3-12 on the season as they have steadily improved each week.
Earlier in the week, Plains and Anaconda were knotted at one run each after the first inning. Both teams scored twice in the second inning, keeping the score tied at 3-3.
However, Anaconda plated three runs in the top of the third to take a 6-3 lead, then added another run in the top of the fourth, increasing their advantage to 7-3.
But Plains scored three in the bottom of the fourth, trimming the Copperheads’ lead to 7-6. Anaconda tacked on four runs in the top of the fifth while holding Plains scoreless in the bottom of the frame.
Both teams scored three runs in the sixth inning, sending the game into the seventh inning with Anaconda holding a 14-9 edge.
The Copperheads scored a couple of insurance runs in the top of the seventh, then limited Plains to a single run in the bottom of the seventh to clinch the 16-10 Western 7B win.
Anaconda outhit Plains 15-8 in the game.
Kulawinski was 2-4 with three runs batted in for the Trotters, who also got a pair of ribbies from Butcher, who was 2-4 at the plate. Kulawinski had a home run in the fourth, and a double, while Butcher laced an RBI double.
Peyton Wilson was 3-5 with three RBIs for Anaconda.
The second game of the double-header was a nail-biter from start to finish, with Plains grabbing a 2-0 lead after the top half of the first. Anaconda scored once in the first and neither team scored in the second.
Plains tied the game at 2-2 with a single run in the top of the fourth, then watched as Anaconda plated four in the bottom of the inning. The Lady Copperheads made it 6-3 at the end of four innings with a solo run in the bottom of the fourth.
Plains fought back, cutting the lead to 6-4 heading into the bottom of the fifth. Anaconda upped their lead to 8-4 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Plains erupted for five runs including an inside-the-park, two RBI home run. By the end of the top half of the inning, Plains held a 9-8 run.
But Anaconda pushed across a pair of scores in the bottom of the sixth, reclaiming the lead at 10-9 with one inning to play.
Plains was held scoreless in the top of inning number seven, ending the game with the home team ahead 10-9. The Copperheads outhit Plains 12-7 for the game.
Olson had a one-run home run for Anaconda in the first and got two RBIs each from Wilson and Sandoval.
Saner went 3-4 for Plains, while Butcher led the Trotters with two RBIs. Saner had a triple and a double as part of her three-hit game.
Next on the schedule for Plains is a home game today (April 29) against Troy. They close out their regular season schedule with a road game against Eureka this Friday.
The Western Divisionals are May 15-17 in Florence.