New Lady Cats coach debuts with home win

New Enterprise Lady Cats (2-0) softball coach Kate (Benton) Stump got her head coaching career off to a winning start as her Lady Cats picked up an 8-6 win over Dale County on Thursday, Feb. 13.

After trailing 1-0 heading into the second inning, Enterprise answered when Danielle Holley hit a double that drove in both Jordyn Thornton and Taylor Danford for runs to take a 2-1 lead. Later in the inning, Mattie Bowden was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded sending Emma Faulk home to extend the lead to 3-1.

Dale County bounced back to score three runs of its own at the top of the third inning to retake the lead 4-3. Dale County extended its lead to 5-3 with a run in the top of the fifth inning, as well.

In the bottom of the fifth, Thornton drilled a line drive into right field to send Bowden home and cut the Dale County lead to 5-4.

After holding Dale County scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Cats went to work with four runs in the bottom of the sixth to take an 8-5 lead.

First, Brittany Womack drove in Elizabeth Williams on a ground ball single and then Julianna McCollough and Womack both scored on Dale County errors. Finally, Bowden scored on a ground ball single from Kyleigh Coin.

In total, Enterprise racked up 11 hits to Dale County’s seven hits. Leading the way for Enterprise was Danford as she went 3-or-4 at the plate with one run, while Bowden had three RBIs and two runs.

Bowden earned the win in the circle and three 52 strikes in her 83 total pitches. Bowden allowed six hits and five runs, while striking out two batters in six and 1/3 innings pitched. Emily Holland picked up the other 2/3 innings in the circle and allowed one hit and one run. Coin earned a double play on defense.

Enterprise followed up with a resounding 19-5 win over Charles Henderson on Monday, Feb. 17, in Troy, as well.

After falling behind 5-0 in the first inning and going scoreless for the first three innings, Enterprise took control.

In the top of the fourth inning Holley scored off an error to cut the Lady Trojan lead to 5-1 and then, with the bases loaded, Charles Henderson walked five consecutive batters driving home Bowden, Womack, Camryn Easterling, Williams and Lessman to give Enterprise a 6-5 lead.

In the top of the fifth inning, Lessman scored again on an error to extend the Lady Cat lead to 7-5. Bowden then hit a line drive double to left field driving home Williams, Easterling and Womack to stretch that lead out to 10-5.

With the bases loaded once again, Charles Henderson walked back-to-back batters to send Coin and McCollough home and stretch the Lady Cat lead out to 12-5.

Easterling then drilled a ground ball single to center field driving Holley home to give Enterprise a 14-5 lead.

Coin singled to left field to drive Easterling home followed by Thornton singling a ground ball to left field to drive Bowden home and finally Danford singled to left field to drive Coin home again and give Enterprise the 19-5 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, Enterprise pitcher struck out a pair of batters and a third hit a pop fly that was caught by Williams to end the game and secure the win for the Lady Cats.

Easterling, Coin and Thornton all had big days at the plate. Thornton went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, while Coin went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs and Easterling went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs.

Along with the eight hits as a team, Enterprise was walked 16 times in the win.

Thornton also got the win in the circle pitching four and 1/3 innings with four strikeouts, while allowing just one hit and no runs all night. Of her 61 pitches, 39 were strikes.

The Lady Cats are back at home on Feb. 20 agaisnt rival Dothan.