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| 4/13/2009 12:10:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Warriors cage Lions with Staton homer
By CLIFF COATS
Special to the Leader
Following Tuesday's victory over Round Rock, the Warriors were looking to climb into the thick of the District 16-5A-softball playoff race with a win over Leander Thursday.
Like so many of the games in the league this year it was a close one. A picture perfect pitcher's duel between Westwood's Haylee Staton and the Lions' Alex Crowhurst kept the game tied 1-1 most of the night, until Staton did her own dirty work, cracking a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning that proved the difference in the game as Westwood improved its district record to 4-6 with a 4-1 win.
"Leander battled all game," Warriors' coach Tiffany Gates said following the grueling contest between the squads, which both made the playoffs a year ago. "They got up first, and we fought back and got the tying run. We kept battling and kept winning the inning and that's what it takes in the end."
In the bottom of the second Leander (5-5) earned its first run of the night with some picture perfect small ball. Haley Giamfortone started things off by legging out a short bunt for the single, the next two batters each laid down the sacrifice bunt to move Giamfortone over to third. Aissa Barrera knocked Giamfortone home with shot to shallow left field for the RBI.
Leander maintained its lead until the fourth inning when Prehoda bashed another stand-up double to start things off. Nicole DeLisle showed some nice small ball skills of her own and laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Prehoda to third. From there Megan Stockberger earned an RBI on a groundout to first to tie the game at 1-1.
The pitchers' battle continued for the next three innings with both Staton and Crowhurst racking up six strikeouts apiece.
The top of the seventh inning looked to be more of the same as Crowhurst and company earned two quick outs right off the bat. Sophomore first basemen Jonelle Feikis and freshmen outfielder both showed great patience and a keen eye by each earning a walk. Next up was Staton, who Crowhurst had already struck out twice in the game. After a well fought at bat Staton crushed a home run shot over the left field fence, driving in three runs in the process.
"It was exciting and it was about time, after striking out twice before," said Staton of the home run. "After our eight and nine position batters got on, I knew I had to step it up and get them home."
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