Lady Broncos claim league wins against Asotin, Reardan

The Lind-Ritzville/Sprague Lady Broncos are making strides towards improvement as they claimed two wins in a doubleheader against Asotin on Saturday, March 25.

Head Coach Todd O’Brien said the team did not know what to expect from Asotin as they are new to the league.

He stated the Lady Broncos showcased strong hitting in the games, which attributed to the wins. The team started the first game lacking intensity, allowing Asotin to be in the lead 4-2 at the end of the second inning, he explained.

On defense, O’Brien said the team remained consistent and aggressive and only allowed Asotin one run in the third inning.

He said the tempo of the game changed in the fourth inning, when Emma Aldrich hit a home run to score three runs for the Lady Broncos.

The hit gave the team a confidence boost at the plate and they began to make contact with the ball, O’Brien explained.

The Lady Broncos continued to have quick hands at the plate, hitting eight base run hits as they scored 16 runs in the fourth inning.

O’Brien said the team spent a lot of time focusing on hitting in practice and the performance in the fourth inning impressed him.

The players were patient at the plate and waited for the right pitch in the strike zone to hit, he explained. O’Brien stated they were successful in running bases by being instinctive and advancing at the appropriate times.

After gaining the lead, the Lady Broncos continued to be a powerful force on defense and did not allow the Lady Chargers to score a single run. O’Brien said Lacey Miller proved to be a crucial asset as catcher by assisting the team in plays and being quick to dive for foul balls.

The Lady Broncos were successful at the plate as Tessa O’Brien and Alarah Pierce-Pulliam hit two singles, Miller had three singles, and Kaylee Pavone and Hannah Brittain each hit a double.

The team made improvements in fielding as well, he explained, as they were quick to make plays for the third out.

The Lady Chargers could not match the speed of Aldrich’s pitches and they struggled to make contact with the ball, he added. At the beginning of the fifth inning, the Lady Broncos were in the lead 18-5.

In the fifth inning the Lady Broncos only scored one run but continued to display strong defense, explained O’Brien. The Lady Broncos’ lead allowed them to claim the win in five innings with a final score of 19-5.

In the second game, O’Brien said the team continued to score runs and remained consistent on defense. The Lady Chargers increased the intensity on defense and they began to quickly make plays to prevent the Lady Broncos from scoring runs, he explained.

Despite their efforts, the Lady Broncos maintained the lead throughout the game. Asotin began to make contact with the ball at the plate to score two runs in the second inning.

By the start of the third inning the Lady Broncos were ahead 3-2. He said they scored one run in the inning to remain in the lead before Asotin’s pitcher struck out the last batter.

In the fourth inning both teams remained strong on defense, quickly making three outs and preventing either team from scoring. Tessa O’Brien showcased her speed during short plays by being quick to run the bases, stated O’Brien.

He said the team seemed to be more hesitant at the plate in the second game, but their hitting continued to be strong. The Lady Broncos claimed the win in the second game 7-3.

The team returned home to face Reardan in a doubleheader match on Saturday, April 1.

O’Brien said the Lady Broncos started the first game strong and made tremendous contact with the ball, allowing them to gain the lead early in the game. The team also displayed solid defense as they were quick to make three outs, reducing the Lady Indians’ chance to score runs, he explained.

Emily Kinney showcased powerful hitting as she hit a single, triple and home run in the first five innings, making her one double hit away from a cycle, O’Brien explained.

The successful hitting gave the team additional confidence at the plate as they continued to hit singles and doubles, he added.

Tessa hit three singles, Miller and Alisha Baker each hit two. Brittain claimed a double and Kinney hit a triple along with a home run.

O’Brien stated the game turned in to a nail biter by the sixth inning as the Lady Broncos began the inning with a sizable lead against Reardan. As Aldrich began to fatigue, O’Brien said she started walking batters.

Once Reardan had multiple runners on base, they began making contact with the ball and quickly scored six runs to tie the game. The tie continued through the seventh inning, forcing the teams to play an eighth inning, said O’Brien.

The team remained consistent on defense and quickly made three outs preventing the Lady Indians from scoring additional runs.

Miller hit a single to start the bottom of the inning and O’Brien stated the team focused on bringing her home to claim the win.

O’Brien said Baker hit a single to advance Miller to third base and then Pavone sacrificed a squeeze bunt, allowing the game winning run. The Lady Broncos claimed the win 9-8.

For the second game, O’Brien explained the Lady Broncos stepped up the intensity and played similar to the five innings of the first game. He stated they continued to make excellent contact with the ball.

Tessa and Baker each hit a single, Pierce-Pulliam hit one single and a triple, while Emily Rosen hit a single and a home run during the game.

After walking several batters, O’Brien said Reardan rotated to their back-up pitcher in the third inning. Despite the change, he said the Lady Broncos took 15 walks throughout the game.

The patience at the plate allowed them to be successful on offense and quickly gain the lead.

Aldrich continued to throw strikes despite pitching two games, which allowed the Lady Broncos to maintain the lead and make three outs. The team claimed the win against Reardan in the first five innings 14-4.

O’Brien stated the highlights of the game included Rosen scoring four runs, Tessa hitting three singles and Baker claimed three RBIs.

With five days off for spring break, O’Brien said the team will focus on simple fundamentals when they return to practice to prepare for the away game against Liberty on April 8.