Photos By Bob Sykes
Two errors in the second inning turned the Moore League Opener last night at Lisa Fernadez Field at Mayfair Park between Millikan and Lakewood into a rout. The heart of the Lancer lineup jumped on the Ram mistakes and scored eight in the inning on the way to a 9-2 victory.
Lakewood would bat around in the second, and that’s what Lancer head coach Andy Miramontes wants to see from the Moore League favorite. “The seniors did their job at the top of the order, and the younger ones are staying hungry,” said Miramontes. “The 7-8-9 hitters are getting on base, and that’s great to see.”
All the coaches and Lancer fans saw what they wanted in the second inning as Sarah Magill and Kylie Grabrowski reached on errors to lead it off and spark the offense. Shelby Blair bunted them over so Sara Fobbs and Janelle Hayes could clear the bases with a single and a double. After a ground out, Eliza Crawford tripled in a run before Sarah Carrasco and Maria Sykes each knocked RBI singles. Two more errors on hard hit balls from Magill and Grabrowski capped the scoring for the frame, and Lakewood pitcher Nicole Warren took the 8-0 lead back to the circle.
Warren pitched four innings and only allowed three hits while striking out three. Hayes took the ball in the fifth when Miramontes pulled some of his starters, but the Rams did not roll over.
Millikan had four hits and two runs in the final three innings which included an inside the park home run by the speedy freshman first baseman Taylor Florentino.
“We’ve been down and few times this year and this young team is fighting… there’s no quit,” said Millikan head coach Don Harper. “I really like this group… we’ll be much better next time we see them.”
Harper and the Rams got some gritty pitching from junior Brooke Cullison. Take away the top of the second inning, and Cullison’s line is six innings pitched while giving up just the one run on five hits and no walks.
The victory takes Lakewood to 6-3 and 1-0 in league as they return home to see Wilson on Thursday. Millikan falls to 3-3 and 0-1 as they head to Poly Thursday.
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