The Lady Bulldogs were welcomed with warm weather and strong winds for their double header this Thursday against Rhodes College, winning the first game 4-3 and losing the following game 10-6 while moving to 15-24 overall on the season.
The Lady Bulldogs had a 3-0 lead in the first game headed to the top of the third inning, thanks to the bats of freshman first baseman Samantha McDaniel and sophomore outfielder Peyton Mathis. Rhodes fought back in the third and fifth innings to tie the game at three, but junior first baseman Haley Barnette’s double in the bottom of the fifth brought home the final run for the Lady Bulldogs to put them up 4-3. McDaniel and sophomore pitcher Gabby Morris led the team in hits with two each, along with Morris providing a full day at the mound to help close out the game.
“The first game we came out wanting to win,” freshman shortstop Sarah Smith said. “But you can’t take this game for granted.”
The next game in the windy double-header began much differently than the first, with Rhodes jumping to a 10-0 lead in just the first inning.
“It’s hard to bounce back after being down by 10,” sophomore catcher Kristen Pickens said. “But I’m proud of us for not giving up. When Parker came in to pitch, she really shut them down.”
The Lady Bulldogs fought hard and had a run of their own, scoring five runs through two innings. The girls narrowed the gap to just five going into the fourth inning. However, just one more run in the fifth inning would be all that was left from the Lady Bulldogs.
Despite a remarkable run offensively, Perkins thinks they still have work to do.
“We have to work on scoring people on base,” Pickens said, “We can’t leave bases loaded like we did a few times.”
The Lady Bulldogs are determined and confident as they prepare for their next challenge against the University of West Alabama this Sunday.