YHS Lady Bulldogs win softball game 8-1

  • YHS 2024 Lady Bulldog Softball Team seniors. Pictured from left to right are Destiny Rios, Lexi Zaruba, Macie Blakeney, Madilynn Steinmann, and Addison Pekar. Contributed photo.
    YHS 2024 Lady Bulldog Softball Team seniors. Pictured from left to right are Destiny Rios, Lexi Zaruba, Macie Blakeney, Madilynn Steinmann, and Addison Pekar. Contributed photo.

    After a handful of hits and one run over the first four innings, the Yoakum High School (YHS) Lady Bulldogs were sparked by a big hit by Olivia Fojt.

    With a 1-1 game in the bottom of the fifth, Fojt picked up an in-the-park home run and that started a snowball effect as the Lady Bulldogs had five straight hits afterwards, scoring a total of five runs and then got three hits to score two runs in the next inning for an 8-1 win on April 9 against Industrial at home.

    “I think our energy stepped up after my in-the-park home run, the team saw if I could do it, they could do it. The energy levels came up and we did it as a team,” Fojt said.

    Until the fifth, the Lady Bulldogs had a hit an inning, but were patient and adapted to the Lady Cobra pitching.

    “Hitters just need to see a pitcher to be able to make an adjustment the next time around,” YHS Lady Bulldog Head Coach Monica Chovanec said. “It took a little bit longer for us to do that more than we would have liked. We figured it out eventually and made some things happen.”

    “We were putting the ball into play and eventually, things were bound to happen. We made better choices at the plate,” Chovanec said. “We did just swing at everything like we were in the beginning of the game. Swing at better pitches, you get better hits.”

    Madilynn Steinmann started the game at pitcher, ceded one run, and worked a third of inning, facing four batters before Hannah Schultz took over and worked 6 1/3 innings with two hits, two walks, and eight strikeouts. Lexi Zaruba had six putouts on defense.

    “It was not our best and the girls know we have to be a little better than that. It is not anything that is concerning. It is just us coming out ready to go as the game starts,” Chovanec said.

    After Fojt’s home run put up the Lady Bulldogs 2-1, Steinmann tripled and her runner Hanna Garvin was put out at home on Schultz’s single. Destiny Rios then tripled runner Taylor Velek home. Rios scored on a triple by Zaruba.

    Zaruba scored on Addison Pekar’s hit and Pekar went home on a passed ball for a 6-1 Lady Bulldog lead.

    Schultz started the top of the sixth with a single and her runner Daphne Oviedo scored on Rios’s two-run homer.

    To start the game, Industrial’s Faith Villarreal got a walk, later stole second, took third on a passed ball, and then scored on a passed ball.

    In the bottom of the frame, Fojt hit a two-out triple and went home on the same sequence on an error to tie the game.

    Yoakum hitting/base running: Destiny Rios, 2-4, 1 home run, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 1 triple; Olivia Fojt, 2-3, 1 home run, 2 runs, 1 RBI, 1 triple; Lexi Zaruba, 2-3, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2 triples; Addison Pekar, 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI; Hannah Schultz, 2-3; Madilynn Steinmann, 1-4, 1 triple; Madisen Grant, 1-4, 2 stolen bases; Faith McCloud, 1-2; Taylor Velek, 1 run; Daphnie Oviedo, 1 run; Macie Blakeney, 1 stolen base.

    Yoakum pitching: Steinnmann, 0.1 IP, 1 run, 3 walks, 1K: Schultz, 6.1 IP, 2 hits, 2 walks, 8K.

    Yoakum fielding/defense: Zaruba, 6 putouts; Blakeney, 3 putouts, 2 assists; McCloud, 1 putout; Fojt, 1 putout; Schultz, 3 assists.

    I: Madison Bracknell and Carlee Burow. Y: Madilynn Steinmann, Hannah Schultz (1) and Destiny Rios. W: Schultz. L: Bracknell.

    HR: Y: Olivia Fojt, Rios

    3B: Y: Lexi Zaruba (2) Fojt, Rios, Steinmann

    COLUMBUS 9, YOAKUM 1

    The Lady Bulldogs scored a single run at Columbus on April 12 despite six hits in a 9-1 loss.

    Zaruba hit 2-for-3 with a solo home run with four other players getting one hit.

    Schultz worked 4 2/3 innings with 11 hits, 9 runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. Steinmann closed with 1 1/3 innings, two hits, and a strikeout.

    Zaruba had seven putouts on defense.

    Columbus scored a pair of runs in the first and third innings, outscored the Lady Bulldogs 3-1 in the fourth, and 2-0 in the fifth square.

    Yoakum hitting/base running: Lexi Zaruba, 2-3, 1 home run, 1 RBI; Madisen Grant, 1-4, 2 stole bases; Olivia Fojt, 1-2; Hannah Schultz, 1-3; Faith McCloud, 1-3; Destiny Rios, 1 stolen base.

    Yoakum pitching: Schultz, 4.2 IP, 11 hits, 9 runs, 3 walks, 3K; Madilynn Steinmann, 1.1 IP, 2 hits, 1K.

    Yoakum fielding/defense: Zaruba, 7 putouts; Macie Blakeney, 2 putouts, 2 assists; McCloud, 2 putouts; Fojt, 1 putout, 1 assist; Addison Pekar, 1 putout; Rios, 1 putout; Schultz, 2 assists; Steinmann, 1 assist.