Mason County had been in this situation before, but on the other end of it.
So when they put up a 17-spot in the first inning against Robertson County that had 22 batters come to the plate, Lady Royals coach Brian “Rabbit” Littleton knew it was time.
“Win with class, lose with class,” Littleton said. “This also gives you a chance to get kids that that haven’t got much varsity action, some action.”
That’s exactly what the Lady Royals did in the 17-0 victory that went just two and a half innings at the Tom Browning Boys and Girls Club.
Rewind back to March 28, it was Pendleton County doing something similar to the Lady Royals, a 16-0 deficit in the first for the Lady Royals in a 16-1 defeat. While Littleton didn’t agree with it at the time, Pendleton took the third out of the inning by default, having a runner step off the bag early before a pitch.
“We’ve been where they were at tonight. We’ve been on the other side of that the last four or five years so it’s good to be on the good side,” Littleton said. “As a coach on that other end, I didn’t like that, but they were doing it the class way. It’s a good way for me to tell the kids that we don’t want to be in that situation again. Teaching the kids how to win with class and lose with class. The main part here was getting kids an opportunity to play.”
When the lineup was going around for the third time for the Lady Royals on Thursday, Littleton implemented the same strategy to end the first with the bases loaded.
Kenzie Gulley scored the game’s first run and much like she’s done all season, gave the Lady Royals a kickstart to a game.
“It’s definitely a lot of pressure but I love being top of the lineup because if I strikeout or get a walk or anything I can give feedback to the girls and let them know what they’re looking for. I like getting the jumpstart for our team,” Gulley said, who has tallied 42 stolen bases this season. “During the summer last year I learned how to head first dive so that’s helped me out a whole lot.”
Kennadi Kirk led with three hits, Littleton noticing her bat really coming around as of late and moving up the lineup. Kirk points to her new approach as the reason for the success.
“A lot of it was I was just in my head. Coach Buzz, he talked to me and asked me what I was thinking whenever I would go in the batting cage to hit and then whenever I’d go up to the plate and hit. And when was in the cage, I just wanted to hit the ball and have good hits. But in games, I just wanted to make sure I was swinging the bat and at least trying to get an attempt on it. So I think a lot of it was just a mindset,” Kirk said.
Tabitha Sapp, who is the team’s third option at pitcher and the team’s first baseman or centerfielder at other times, pitched three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and throwing strikes, plenty of them, 17 of the 23 she threw a strike, including a three-pitch first inning in which she induced three groundouts.
“Yeah, I go with throwing strikes because I’ve never been one to throw super hard, but I do have a few pitches. So I just tried to throw my pitches right, hit my spots and throw strikes in general,” Sapp said.
While the win got the Lady Royals back to .500 and 13-13, they still know what’s ahead come May 23 when they’ll face Bracken County in the district tournament. They have a busy few days ahead, pending weather, hosting Bath County on Friday and then a tripleheader in the Keith Carver Classic on Saturday, first against Manchester (OH) at 1 p.m., followed by a doubleheader against Holy Cross (Covington) at 3 and 5 p.m.
“Just keep hitting. Last night’s game against Scott we only had one strikeout, so we are putting the bat on the ball and giving us a chance. Our pitching continues to get better. Our defense gets better every game. And that’s all we can ask is to get better every game and we’re day-to-day to get ready for that first game of the district,” Littleton said.
The Lady Devils dropped to 1-11 with the loss, McKaylin Burton and Ester the two to collect a hit in the contest. Haley Flack took the loss in the circle. They’ll host Pendleton County on Monday according to the KHSAA schedule.
LADY ROYALS 17, LADY DEVILS 0 (3 INNINGS)
ROBERTSON COUNTY — 000-xxx-x — 0-2-6
MASON COUNTY — (17)00-000-x — 17-14-0
2B — (MC) Applegate
R — (MC) Gulley 3, Kirk 2, Gifford 2, Foley, Hardeman, Rigg 2, Sapp 2, Applegate 2, Thompson 2
RBI — (MC) Gulley 2, Kirk 2, Gifford, Foley, Rigg, Applegate 3, Thompson
WP — Sapp. LP — Flack.
Records: Robertson County 1-11, Mason County 13-13