Lindemuth does it all as Lady Spartans take game-one of Bi-District Series
Lindemuth does it all as Lady Spartans take game-one of Bi-District Series
Senior Lindemuth homers, steals a base and pitches complete game in 2-1 victory over Richland
BURLESON — Bailey Lindemuth homered, stole a base and pitched a complete game as the Centennial Lady Spartans varsity softball team beat the Richland Lady Royals 2-1 in game-one of the Bi-District Championship Series Thursday at Spartan Softball Field.
The senior starting-pitcher hit a two-run shot to left on the first pitch she saw as she went 3-for-3 at the plate and surrendered one earned run off five hits and no walks and struck out two batters over a complete seven innings pitched.
Lady Spartans head coach Natalie Mullin said Lindemuth played great and that she’s really proud of her.
“[Lindemuth is] just incredible,” Mullin said. “She models just everything — leadership, hard work, everything that every other kid needs.”
In a pitching duel, Richland’s Jacey Lees took the loss as she surrendered two runs (one earned) off seven hits and no walks and struck out 10 batters over six innings pitched.
After senior left-fielder Olivia Martin (1-for-3) reached on an error, Lindemuth’s two-run shot gave the Lady Spartans a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Those two runs ended up being all they’d need.
After Lindemuth shut them out through the first four innings, the Lady Royals got on the board as third-baseman Alexis Cowan hit an RBI single to center to cut the Lady Spartans’ lead to 2-1 in the top of the fifth.
Mullin said she felt good about the win.
“Our defense was on fire tonight,” Mullin said. “They made some excellent plays that really helped us stay in.”
Junior center-fielder Alyssa Mayner set the tone for the defense early with a diving catch in shallow-center field to get the first out of the game.
In a relatively-off night for Centennial on the other side of the ball, freshman designated-player Ava Ellis was the only Lady Spartan besides Lindemuth with multiple hits as she went 2-for-3.
Mullin said the team will focus on sitting on outside pitches, taking a two-strike approach, lowering swings-and-misses and putting the ball in play with more line drives and less fly balls in game-two Friday.
The Lady Spartans will look to close out the best of three series in game-two Friday at Richland Softball Field in North Richland Hills. Mullin’s not yet sure which Lady Spartan pitcher will start game-two. Lindemuth threw 100 pitches Thursday.
Game-three, if necessary, will be played Saturday at Richland — giving the lower seed home-field advantage — since Richland won a coin toss with Centennial.