Lady Indians fall to Donettes

KENNETT, Mo. - The Lady Indians varsity softball team (9-3) Thursday fought fiercely at home against an undefeated Doniphan team (11-0) and lost by two runs in a heartbreaker, 6-4.

The battle waged throughout a sunny but windy afternoon. Although the teams never were separated by more than a run or two on the scoreboard, a double play executed perfectly by the Donettes late in the game was both masterful and disheartening.

Regardless, both teams played like champs from the get-go with the Lady Indians drawing first blood in the bottom of the first on a ground out by junior Lauren Barton.

Kennett Lady Indians Emma Claire Bodkin at the plate Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

The Donettes battled back and took the lead in the top of the second inning on a Micha Burton sacrifice fly and a Lady Indians error that scored one run each.

Kennett forged ahead in the bottom of the second and junior Handley McAtee tied the game at two on an 0-2 count single.

McAtee went three-for-four Thursday and led the Lady Indians squad in hits, totaling 14 to the Donettes five on the day.

Top of the fourth inning found Doniphan's freshman Kensey Davis at bat, who hit a nice stand-up double scoring one, and junior Paige Wilson's following sacrifice fly increased the Donette's lead by two runs, 4-2.

A Doniphan Donettes batter swings and misses a Kennett Lady Indians pitch Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

Both teams placed runners over home plate again and with the score 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth, a beautiful diving catch by Doniphan's right fielder helped deny the Lady Indians go-ahead runs.

Despite a sweet single by the Lady Indians that brought the score to 5-4 with two outs, the team stranded runners on first and second and headed into the sixth inning.

Doniphan Donettes pitcher Kylie Hawkins studies the plate Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

The Donettes No. 17 started the sixth with a stand-up double, a well-hit ball that traveled to the center field fence before being fielded.

Doniphan's Carsyn Hagood stepped to the plate, swung on a down-and-outside pitch, blasted a scorcher over short that started a defensive house of cards that cratered and resulted in a Doniphan run that extended the lead 6-4.

Kennett's lead-off batter in the bottom of the sixth singled. However, a subsequent Lady Indians' line drive to third was caught, fielded and both runners were out on the first double play of the day.

Doniphan Donettes pitcher Kylie Hawkins studies the plate Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

Kennett's next batter hit a fly ball to center and placed her on first. With two outs and a Kennett runner on first, the Donettes' defense toughened and retired the side on a Lady Indians hit to pitcher.

Doniphan went three up, three down in the top of the seventh thanks to a Lady Indians relentless pitching effort and continued fielding.

However, a second double play on a ball hit to short, fielded expertly by the Donettes, was enough to remove the wind from Kennett's sails and the Donettes winning streak was increased to 11.

Doniphan Donettes pitcher Kylie Hawkins winds up Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

Doniphan head coach Brad Hagood said the undefeated Donettes included the Lady Indians on its schedule because of the teams' fire and intensity.

“They got us last year here by one run,” Hagood said. “We knew Kennett is a quality team.

“The team has quality coaching,” he added. “We knew we were gonna have to play if we were gonna win today. I aways enjoy playing good competition. Win or lose, Kennett is great competition.”

A Doniphan Donettes runner id tagged out at home Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

Regarding the second double play of the day, Hagood said a fielding relationship between his shortstop and second baseman was responsible.

“Our two middle people there, Carsyn Hagood at short and Peyton Lowery at second, are pretty good at turning two,” the head coach said. “They have done that quite a bit.”

Senior Lowery said beyond Doniphan's softball program, she and Hagood play basketball together in fall and have developed quite a bond over the years.

“We've been wanting to turn a double play like that one all season,” a thrilled Lowery said. “It was just set up perfectly for us.

“I think we executed it like we should have,” she continued. “It really helped us win this game and take home the W.”

Hagood agreed.

“I was just so excited when the ball was hit to me,” Hagood noted. “We had just talked about turning two right before, like just before that.

“My hitting today struggled,” she added. “But I knew defensively I had to stop that ball.”

Kennett High School Lady Indians head softball coach Logan Dollins pow-wows with his players on the field Thursday at Indian Park.Photo by Steve Hankins

Kennett Lady Indians head coach Logan Dollins was stoic about the loss, and heaped mountains of praise on both teams and Doniphan's coaching staff.

“We had the opportunity to play a really, really good team today,” Dollins said. “I thought we came out and played a pretty good game.

“We just never could get anything going with runners on bags,” he added. “Never could get that big hit we were searching for. Their pitcher did a really good job just moving us in and out, up and down. So kudos to them for having a great program, playing hard and doing things the right way. It was one of those games where you're waiting for one swing of the bat and it just didn't happen for us today.”

The Lady Indians are on tap for Friday batting practice in preparation for Saturday's double header at home against East Carter (4-4) at 11 a.m. and Saint Genevieve (9-6) at 3 p.m.

Doniphan is on the road and faced Alton (8-4) at 4 p.m. Friday. The Donettes travel to take on Naylor at 4:30 p.m. Monday.