Scott City hitters rough up Chaffee

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- After having Wednesday's scheduled season opener canceled, the Scott City softball team was excited to take the field Thursday.

Especially sophomore pitcher Alexis Spriggs.

"This is the game I wanted bad," Spriggs said.

That's because the Rams were facing arch rival Chaffee, a squad featuring several players Spriggs is very familiar with.

"I played summer ball with a few of their players," Spriggs said.

Chaffee catcher Adrienne Eichhorn tags out Scott City base runner Shelby Rhymer during the fourth inning Thursday in Chaffee, Mo. (Kristin Eberts)

Spriggs got the better of her summer teammates, as did the rest of the Rams, during a 15-3 romp at Frisco Park.

The contest ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule.

"Definitely," said Rams senior shortstop Melanie Lacey when asked if Scott City vs. Chaffee is a big rivalry in any sport.

While the Rams had their scheduled opener wiped out because Delta couldn't field enough players, Chaffee already had played two games.

The Red Devils started out with a win but now have lost two straight.

Scott City's Shelby Rhymer lays down a bunt during the fourth inning Thursday.

"I didn't expect that in a million years," Chaffee coach Shawn Powderly said of Thursday's lopsided result. "They just played a lot better than us this game."

Three of the first four Scott City batters got hits, including a triple by Lacey.

That set the tone for the Rams, who finished with 16 hits.

"That's been a main focus of ours in practice, hitting," Scott City coach Amy Pobst said. "We didn't hit the ball bad last year, but not like this."

The pitcher's rubber for high school softball has been moved from 40 feet back to 43 feet, which Pobst believes will benefit offenses.

Scott City's Melanie Lacey, left, high-fives Macy Hall after scoring a run during the fourth inning Thursday.

"I felt like it would make it a hitter's game," she said.

Lacey went 3 for 4, including the triple, while driving in three and scoring twice.

Spriggs also went 3 for 4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored.

Senior Stacey Heisserer, junior Lindsay Kern and freshman Macy Hall added two hits apiece for the Rams. Heisserer scored three times and had two RBIs.

Also getting two RBIs was freshman Becky Burger.

Chaffee's Hannah Bedwell hustles to scoop up a hit that was later called a foul ball during the fourth inning of a game against Scott City in Chaffee on Thursday, August 26, 2010. Scott City won 15-3. (Kristin Eberts)

"Our hitting was very good," Lacey said. "We were pumped."

Spriggs pitched all five innings, allowing seven hits, striking out three and walking five.

Chaffee scored all its runs over the final two innings.

"I think I did pretty good, but not my best. I can probably do better," Spriggs said.

Pobst was satisfied with her hurler's performance.

"She came out ready. I was pleased," Pobst said.

Chaffee had seven hits, led by Adrienne Eichhorn's 2 for 3 performance.

"I thought we swung it pretty good, but they made some nice plays," Powderly said.

While Scott City hit the ball well, the Rams also benefited from several hits on plays that could have been made in addition to Chaffee's three errors.

"Our pitchers didn't locate, but we should have made more plays for our pitchers," Powderly said. "But they obviously swung well."

The Rams grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Heisserer singled with one out, Lacey delivered an RBI triple and Spriggs got an RBI single.

Scott City made it 5-0 with three unearned second-inning runs. The big blow was Heisserer's two-RBI single.

A nine-run fourth inning that featured eight hits -- six consecutively -- broke things wide open at 14-0.

"We worked really hard in practice," Spriggs said. "I guess it paid off."

Scott City 230 91 -- 15 16 2

Chaffee 000 12 -- 3 7 3

WP -- Alexis Spriggs. LP -- Hailey Enderle. 3B -- Melanie Lacey (SC). 2B -- Spriggs (SC), Macy Hall (SC), Hannah Bedwell (C), Maria Smith (C). Multiple hits -- Scott City: Lacey 3-4, Spriggs 3-4, Hall 2-3, Stacey Heisserer 2-4, Lindsay Kern 2-4; Chaffee: Adrienne Eichhorn 2-3. Records -- Scott City 1-0, Chaffee 1-2.