Both Trojan teams finish homestand, brooms out
BY MARCUS CLEM | HOMETOWN GIRARD
Sydnee Crain and the Trojans celebrate her game two home run against Frontenac on April 7. Softball won both home games, 4-3 and 12-7. | PHOTO BY JOYCE KOVACIC
Girard fell behind early as the first batters for the league rival Frontenac Raiders scored two runs in the top of the inning, but then the fun really started.
Sydnee Crain (sophomore) singled in the bottom of the first before Laney Shireman (freshman) came up and immediately scored her. Shelby Smith (sophomore) reached second after Kyah Ferguson (senior) singled, but the bats chilled out for the rest of the inning.
An uneventful second inning kept the score at 1-2.
Crain doubled to start the bottom of the third. Shireman singled to score her again to tie the game.
Shaylun Grosstephan (sophomore) singled and advanced the go-ahead runner, Shireman. Shelby Smith hit a groundout before Kyah Ferguson scored Shireman to get a one-run advantage on Frontenac. The inning ended on a 3-2 score.
Girard didn’t inflict any more damage in the fourth, nor did Frontenac.
Following a Frontenac equalizer in the top of the fifth, Crain walked and eventually scored the winning run on the bats of Grosstephan and Ferguson.
Neither team scored in the sixth and after the top of the seventh stymied Frontenac, Girard closed the game out at 4-3.
Girard took an early advantage in game two after Crain singled and then scored on action from Shireman, Grosstephan and Smith.
Crain reached and then scored again after Shireman doubled. Calea Augustin (junior) doubled and scored after advancing on a grounder from Katy Pitts (senior) and a fielder’s choice reach by Kelsey Kirby (senior), who later scored. 4-0 Girard.
Frontenac scored twice in the top of the third to endanger the early Girard efforts.
Augustin singled and scored after Pitts singled and Kirby put the ball in play to get Augustin home for a 5-2 advantage at the end of the third.
Frontenac came alive in the top of the fourth, scoring four, but it would be their last streak of offensive success.
Girard regained the lead in the fifth in Congo-line style over the home plate. Grosstephan, Smith, Ferguson and Augustin all reached and scored, and Pitts reached second to score the fourth run. 9-6 Girard.
The Trojans piled on in the sixth, as Grosstephan and Smith reached before scoring on a Pitts double. Kirby also doubled to score Pitts to make the score 12-6.
Frontenac threatened in the seventh but ultimately managed only one run to end the game at 12-7.
The Trojans’ sweep, their second this year, of the Raiders puts them at 6-2 overall and second Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee league standings. Galena is in first at 4-0 in the CNC and 8-1 overall. Girard will travel to Baxter Springs for a doubleheader on Monday, April 11.
Baseball savors first dominant performance
Jake Bennett rips a double down the middle in game one on April 7 against Frontenac. Baseball won both games, 9-3 and 10-9. | PHOTO BY JOYCE KOVACIC
The Trojans beat Frontenac on April 7, 9-3, at the Girard baseball field.
Girard scored three runs in the fifth. The damage came from an RBI double by Tyler Green, an RBI single by Bailey Crapson, and a walk by Quintin Ausemus.
Jake Bennett had a perfect showing at the dish, going 4-4. He doubled in the fourth inning and singled in the second, fifth, and sixth innings.
The Trojans relied on Ethan Goff to eat up innings en route to the win. Goff pitched seven innings and allowed no earned runs, three hits and three walks while striking out four.
In the bottom of the first, the Trojans grabbed the early lead, 1-0. They got things going when Teddy Paoni singled.
They never surrendered the lead after the third inning, scoring one run on an RBI double by Paoni.
The Trojans brought home two runs in the fourth inning, and matched that run total in the sixth.
In the fourth, the boys scored on an RBI single by Kross Hamblin, scoring Bennett.
Two more runs in the sixth ended the game after Frontenac could not conquer the seven-run deficit.
Frontenac fought back in game two. The two teams combined for 19 runs. In the end, the Trojans won the battle 10-9 in seven innings.
The two teams combined for 12 hits in the game.
Bailey Crapson showed his talents on both sides of the diamond with a strong game on the mound and at the plate.
Crapson went a perfect 2-2 at the dish. He singled in the first and sixth innings.
Crapson worked out of eight difficult moments. He pitched one inning and allowed no earned runs on no hits. Crapson faced his trickiest spot in the seventh inning.
The teams traded runs for most of the contest, leading to seven lead changes in the game.
Girard finally managed to grab the lead after a strong sixth inning.
The Trojans went up for good on an RBI single by Tanner Stout off Smith, scoring Crapson.
Even though Brendan Schmidt allowed five runs over 2 2/3 innings he still recorded the victory. He struck out two, walked one and surrendered three hits.
The Trojans’ sweep, their first this year, of the Raiders puts them at 4-4 overall and 2-0, third place, in the CNC league standings. First place Baxter Springs, as yet undefeated, awaits the baseball team on what is sure to be a difficult but exciting road challenge on Monday, April 11.
Editor’s Note: Baseball summaries adapted from Narrative Science and Gamechanger Media, © 2016. All rights reserved.