The Yates Center Wildcats cruised to victory with a 12-2, 12-1 victory over the Crest Lady Lancers Thursday.
Yates Center junior pitcher Kinley Morrison tallied 10 strikeouts to take the opener with Crest’s only runs coming in the fifth and final inning.
Wildcat senior catcher Jaycie Randall set the tone for the evening by stealing home. Moments later, Morrison drove in a runner to take an early 2-0 lead. Morrison later scored by stealing home to take the Wildcats’ lead to 3-0. With Crest’s pitcher rattled, Yates Center continued stealing home and drawing walks until leading 9-0. An RBI single by senior shortstop Avery Eakin was the only run by contact Yates Center needed. Eakin’s fifth-inning triple secured the mercy-rule victory. Eakin ended the opener with a team-leading two RBIs while hitting in 2 of 3 appearances.
For Crest, both senior outfielder Karlee Boots and junior pitcher Kinley Edgerton hit 1 of 2 with Edgerton also tallying three strikeouts.
In the finale, Crest jumped out to a 1-0 lead after junior outfielder Kaelin Nilges stole home, but that was as close to victory as the Lady Lancers would get. The Wildcats scored 12 unanswered runs for the victory. Yates Center captured the lead with a six-run third inning, then scored four more in the fourth. They secured the mercy-rule victory by the sixth inning on an RBI single by junior outfielder Lauren Shultz.
Avery Eakin throws a strike.
Yates Center sophomore outfielder Mylin Tidd had a team-leading two RBIs while Morrison and sophomore catcher Cayten Cummings hit 3 of 4 with an RBI. Eakin hit a perfect 3 of 3 with an RBI while tallying four strikeouts over six innings, allowing seven hits and four walks.
For Crest, junior second baseman Aylee Beckmon and outfielder Jaycee Schmidt hit in 2 of 2 appearances.
Crest returns to the diamond Monday, when they host Southeast for a doubleheader with start times listed for 3:30 and 5:30 p.m.
Yates Center looks to keep their hot streak alive when they host Central Heights Monday with start times listed for 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
