Scott City softball team blasts Woodland 18-3 in four innings

A single and a stolen base. A run-scoring base hit. Another single putting runners at the corners, followed by a two-run triple.

It was that kind of day for Scott City.

The Rams pounded out 15 hits on their way to an 18-3 victory over Woodland on Wednesday in a softball game halted in the bottom of the fourth by the mercy rule.

"We had one inning where we didn't hit," Scott City coach Kaitlyn Zink said. "The consistency like that, I'm really proud of them for doing that and not laying down."

Scott City (9-4) followed up a three-run first inning with an eight-run second, putting the Cardinals in an 11-0 hole heading into the third. By that time, Macy Hall, Becky Burger and Lyndsie Robert -- the Rams' Nos. 3, 4 and 5 hitters -- combined to go 6 for 6 with two doubles and a triple, scoring five runs and driving in six.

Saying they were aggressive at the plate would be an understatement.

"It's good to be aggressive or you're not going to get a good hit," Robert said. "If you go up there thinking you're not going to hit, then you're not going to hit. If you go up there thinking you're going to hit it, then you're going to hit it."

Robert finished the game 4 for 4 with two triples and six runs batted in. Burger was 3 for 3 with a double and a walk and scored four times. And Hall and Liz Hensley each had two this, with Hall scoring three times and driving in two runs and Hensley scoring twice.

"Scott City is a really well-disciplined team," Woodland coach Andrea Arnold said. "They do the little things right. They play ball."

Woodland (8-4) scored once in the top of the third and put two more across in the fourth, but Scott City matched that and then some by scoring once in the bottom of the third and putting the game away with a six-run fourth.

Zink was pleased with her squad's defense, especially in the third inning. Wooodland's Anna Deck and Aiyanna Storie both singled, and a successful double steal put runners on second and third. With two out, Sierra Owens lined a single to center that scored Deck, but Rams center fielder Shelby Rhymer uncorked a bullet throw to third that nailed Storie sliding into third for the third out.

"Shelby made an awesome throw to third, and Michaela (Kiefer) made an awesome catch and put it on her," Zink said. "Stuff like that, that's what we need to get our confidence up in situations like that so we can make plays and get out of it. It really gets in our pitcher and catcher's head to know that our defense can be behind them and make plays for them."

Hall, a senior, sparkled behind the plate, never allowing any of Burger's pitches to get past her to the backstop, which prevented Woodland runners from taking extra bases.

"It helps a lot when our defense is backing me up, and it did today," said Burger, who allowed three runs, one of which was earned, on three hits. She walked two and struck out six. "Even if we have a couple errors, they always pick it back up and they always get behind me. They make sure that I know they're behind me and that I can throw the pitch down the middle and let the other team hit it."

Burger knows full well Hall's valuable contributions as a defensive backstop. The two have been battery mates since the sixth grade.

"She's a wall back there," Burger laughed. "I love it -- love every minute. It lets me throw my 'fun' pitches and not have to worry ... because she's going to block everything back there for me."

"She's so accurate," Hall said about Burger's pitching prowess. "I don't have to worry about bad pitches. She's a very good pitcher, and I just love catching her because I know it's going to be right there."

Arnold said she needed to shake things up a bit as her squad stumbled this week after a fast start.

"We came out here knowing it was going to be a tough game," Arnold said. "But I switched up a lot in my lineup to kind of prove a point to my kids, that if they weren't going to do the little things right, then I was going to put someone in their spot that would. And that lit some fire under some of these younger girls to take those spots, and I think we kind of got a point through that we need to step up and play (up) to the team that we're playing instead of slacking and thinking that we're going to be all right."

Woodland senior pitcher Josie Long was roughed up, allowing all 18 runs (13 earned) on 15 hits, walking five and striking out one.

"The past couple games she's been off just a little bit, but I see her changing the little things that are going to make a big difference. I think she'll be back on, definitely by (Thursday). She's got that drive and that desire to fix things, and I think she understands what needs to be fixed after the last couple of games."

Woodland 001 2 -- 3 3 2

Scott City 381 6 -- 18 15 1

WP -- Becky Burger. LP -- Josie Long. 2B -- Macy Hall (SC), Becky Burger (SC). 3B -- Lyndsie Robert (SC) 2. Multiple hits -- Scott City: Hall 2-4, Burger 3-3, Robert 4-4, Liz Hensley 2-3. Records -- Woodland 8-4, Scott City 9-4.