It’s been said that it’s hard to win a state championship. It’s also been said it’s even harder to repeat.
The Lake Lady Hornets found that out the hard way.
Lake was swept in two games last week, falling 14-1 on Wednesday and 11-1 on Friday to East Webster.
It was a tough loss to swallow of Loper, who won two state championships at Lake but is headed to West Lauderdale.
“I definitely wished we had played a little better,” Loper said. “I wished we could have ended it on a higher note. To look back n what we have had and what we have done the last three years, I’m definitely proud. We won the first-ever state championship in fast-pitch and in slow-pitch. We played for three while I was here and I’m proud of that. We lost today but we are still winners in my book. I’m definitely proud of what we have been able to do here. I’m proud of the girls and hope they win it all next year.”
Lake finishes the season with a 26-12 record in an up-and-down season that saw plenty of highlights and one that was also full of injuries.
“One of our injuries took out a .390 batting average from last year and a solid outfielder,” Loper said. “We had another one quit that hit .360 last year and led the team in stolen bases. Had another girl that would have been our next outfielder who is out with medical complications. When you are at a 2A school and lose those kind of players, it’s going to hurt. You just don’t have the depth to really overcome that. But we don’t make excuses. They were better these past two days and props to them on that.”
East Webster 14, Lake 1
The Lady Hornets struggled in the field with seven errors as the Lady Wolverines took a six-inning, run-rule win on Wednesday in game 1 of the series.
East Webster opened with three runs in the first inning and one in the third to take an early 4-0 lead. Lake scored its only run in the bottom of the fourth. East Webster finished with three in the fifth and seven in the sixth.
East Webster outhit Lake 13-7 in the contest. Brantlee McGee and Adyson McKnight were each 2-for-3 while Kate Gladney, Gracie McKee and Katlyn Lott each singled. Sadie Thompson walked and scored Lake’s only run.
Gladney started in the circle and pitched five innings, giving up seven runs 10 hits while striking out three. Alaina Alford pitched the final inning and gave up seven unearned runs on three hits and two walks.
East Webster 11, Lake 1
The Lady Hornets again struggled in the field, committing seven errors for the second straight game as they dropped a second run-rule decision on Friday.
East Webster scored five runs in the first, four in the second and two in the third. Lake scored its only run in the top of the fifth.
“We made a couple of costly errors,” Loper said. “We hit the ball on the head a few times but it was right at them and that’s the way it goes sometimes. We really didn’t have anything go our way and sometimes you need some luck and it wasn’t on our side.”
East Webster outhit lake 9-4 in the contest. Adyson McKnight doubled while Brantlee McGee singled and drove in a run. Gracie McKee and Katlyn Lott each singled while Tra’Shaylah Wilson scored Lake’s only run.
Kate Gladney pitched all four innings for Lake and gave up 11 runs, only six earned, on nine hits and two walks while striking out four.
