VINEMONT, Ala. – On Thursday evening the Vinemont Lady Eagles, riding a 6-0 start to the season, hosted county and area foe Hanceville, who started the season at 3-8 under first-year head coach Kim Lewis.
After nearly taking down Priceville Saturday and beating Holly Pond 18-3 on Tuesday, Lewis and the Lady Bulldogs look to be finding a groove. While pitcher Tori Vines held the Bulldogs scoreless for three frames, defensive errors were the catalyst for wild fourth and fifth innings that led Hanceville to a 15-3 win.
“That was a big win, and a much-needed one for our team. We started out 3-8, had a little losing streak there, but we’re looking forward to playing to our full potential, which is exactly what we saw today,” Lewis said on the victory.
Early on, it looked like most Vinemont games so far this season. Vines gave up a hit here and there, but she largely had Hanceville’s offense on lockdown. At the plate, the Eagles were even better. Leading off for Vinemont, Bailey Howard slapped a ball over the left fielder, showing off her wheels on a triple to get things started. She wouldn’t have to wait long to touch home, with the next batter, Kylie Metzger, driving her home with a single to make it 1-0 Eagles.
The bats kept going in the bottom of the first, with Vines hitting a shot to the gap to drive in Metzger and Bryleigh Basinger to give Vinemont a 3-0 lead.
Things would go quiet for a few innings, with Hanceville’s defense recuperating after the rough first inning and Vines staying the course for the Eagles, who had been struggling to field the ball on a few occasions.
In the top of the fourth, the dam broke. Hanceville’s Kynzlee Farr, a.k.a “Bill”, according to her father, had already picked up a hit in the first, and got on base again on a fielding error from Vinemont’s infield. After a walk, Isabella Spinks hit a grounder to the third baseman, who couldn’t quite decide where to throw it, letting the bases load up for Hanceville. Vines, in a bind, walked another batter, forcing in Hanceville’s first run of the afternoon, but still trailing 3-1.
After the third strike on Mia McCain on the next at bat was dropped, she was thrown out at first, but a throw trying to keep Spinks on third sailed out of the playing field, allowing Spinks to come in for Hanceville’s second score. With the pressure on and runners on second and third, Laila Lewis ripped a grounder under the glove of Vinemont’s Howard, clearing the bases and making it a 4-3 Bulldog lead.
Vinemont, looking to gain some momentum back on offense, ran into a hot-handed KK Butler, who struck out two straight then got some help on the third out, as Bentley Childers made an impressive diving stop on a line drive from Haley Millwood.
Hanceville, after the four-point fourth, went on to have a chaotic 11-score fifth inning. Farr opened things up again with a line drive to right, then scoring on a triple from Spinks the next play to make it 5-3. Pop flys were dropped and throws sailed over heads, but the Bulldogs bats were rolling. It was easy to miss scores, with two often coming at a time on botched plays in the infield allowing Hanceville runners to touch home. Within minutes, the Bulldogs had sailed through their entire batting order and were up 15-3 at the end of the inning, which was called the end of the game after Butler recorded a one-two-three bottom half inning on the mound for Hanceville.
“I’m new to this team, and they’re new to me. We’re trying to get a lot of things set in motion as far as discipline, commitment and work ethic. I’s been quite a change for them as well as for me, getting to know them. It’s a good springboard and gives them a little more confidence going into our next game,” Lewis said after the win.
Butler finished her five-inning performance on the mound with two earned runs and nine strikeouts. She did damage at the plate, too, recording three hits and an RBI. Leading the game was Farr, who went 4-4, scored three times and drove in a run.
For Vinemont, they ended the day with nine defensive errors, with only six of the 15 runs allowed going down as earned. In five innings, Vines still struck out seven batters.
Hanceville’s next game will come at the Falkville Tournament starting tomorrow night, with their opponent to be determined.
