Steinert catcher Alex Haley had two hits and a walk in three plate appearances. Photo by Michael A. Sabo
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Apr. 17: Since being dropped from higher up in the lineup, Taylor Hawkes is starting to produce like a leadoff hitter.
Hawkes was a table setter batting out of the sixth hole today, as she collected three walks, two singles and four runs scored in helping the Steinert softball team to a 15-3 win at Lawrence in a freezing marathon game that took 2-1/2 hours to get through.
“I’m just trying to see the ball the best I can,” said the outfielder, who reached in all five of her plate appearances. “I don’t swing at junk, stuff like that.”
Coach Jean Ruppert is enjoying the new-and-improved Taylor.
“She had a really nice outing for us today,” Ruppert said. “She did really well. She’s very comfortable in that slot. We tried her up top a little. Not for a long time, but I could sense she wasn’t really comfortable there so we moved her back down a little.
“As soon as we did that, she went to being selective at the plate, waiting for the good pitch, taking her ball right side when it’s there. I’m happy with her in that position. She’s contributing and it was a really nice day for her.”
“Nice day” is a relative term, as everyone was actually miserable in the frigid weather. But the Spartans muddled through for their fourth straight win since dropping two straight to Robbinsville last week.
“I think we’re all growing together,” Hawkes said. “All of that made us grow and work harder.”
Included in the winning streak were 1-0 and 2-0 wins over New Egypt and Bordentown in the Rancocas Valley Tournament Saturday.
“We played really, really well Saturday,” Ruppert said. “Kaylee (Whittaker) was spot on, the defense, when they did put a ball in play, was there to make the plays.”
Steinert didn’t hit the ball all that much at RV, as the offense has struggled at the outset. Ruppert feels that should improve, but isn’t expecting too many blowout wins.
“I told them at the beginning of the season if we keep ourselves in one-run ball-games we’re gonna be OK,” the coach said. “We’re not putting up 10, 11, 12 runs on most of our opponents. We’re the kind of team that just stays in the game, stays in the game. We’ve got pitching, we’ve got defense. We’ll figure out how to get one across.”
They put a season-high 15 across today, surpassing the 14 they had in their first win over Lawrence. Nicole Cerasi had three walks and two runs scored, Grace Gaskill delivered a two-run single, Whittaker, Cora Bridgers, Hawkes and Bella Truelove had RBI singles, Alex Haley had an RBI double and Dara Kelly had a two-run single. Bridgers and Whittaker combined on a three-hitter with 11 strikeouts.
Haley, who has been catching but not batting over the past several games, began in that role today before being sent to the plate and responding with two hits and a walk in three plate appearances.
“We had her hitting at the start of the season, and we had a couple little concerns with some opponents we were facing,” Ruppert said. “We wanted to try to give another opportunity to another player. She never let it bother her, she just did her job behind the plate.
“I felt like this was maybe an opportunity to let her get back in it. We worked on some things in practice and she really focused on those couple things and drove the ball well today. That’s what we want. If you’re hitting, you’re in. I can come up with whatever defensive lineup I need, and if you’re hitting you’re gonna find your way in.”
Hamilton West rolls to victory over PDS
Julia Martine collected four hits, four runs and three RBI in leading Hamilton West to a 22-0 win over Princeton Day School. Marine had two singles and two doubles.
Devon Onorati and Ryan Manning each had a hit, two runs and three RBI, while Liz Kelly had a hit, four RBI and three runs, and Cassidy Palyock had two hits and four runs scored. Winning pitcher Grace Cooke, Caitlin Sharkey and Bailey Pazdan each drove in two runs.
Cooke pitched a three-inning one-hitter with five strikeouts.
