Host Cape Central crushes Saxony, 17-2

Cape Central senior outfielder Elizabeth Turk slides safely into third base in the Tigers' 17-2 win over visiting Saxony Lutheran Wednesday, October 7, 2020, at the Tigers softball complex in Cape Girardeau.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

Cape Central won big over visiting Saxony Lutheran in girls’ softball Wednesday, 17-2.

It was a contest characterized by aggressive baserunning by Central.

Leadoff hitter Lizzie Turk, senior left fielder, scored all four times she came to the plate and stole two bases. Her twin sister, Kayleigh, senior shortstop, scored three times.

The tilt was also a messy one as the game was marked by errors.

Central posted four miscues and Saxony six in a game shortened via the mercy rule.

Saxony Lutheran’s only runs came via error as the Tigers allowed a total of four passed balls, permitting Crusader Makayla Braeuner to score in the second inning and her teammate Alice Hogendobler to be plated in the third.

In the three-inning game, every one of the 13 players on the Tigers’ roster got to the plate and 11 reached base safely against Crusaders’ hurler Bryanna Hale.

Central (13-11) led 5-0 after the first inning and 15-1 after the second.

Tiger shortstop Kayleigh Turk belted two doubles and Central’s Brooke Witvoet and Keri Williams had one two-bagger each.

The Tigers scored in every frame against Hale and started five seniors while the Crusaders’ starting nine had only one 12th grader.

Saxony Lutheran coach Mark Lewis admits his team’s relative youth may have contributed to the lopsided defeat.

“We do have a young team and when you don’t handle (situations), it snowballs on you and one mistake leads to another,” said Lewis, in his sixth year leading the Crusaders (4-9).

“You’ve got to be able to pull yourself back and shut down big innings,” he added, noting girls’ softball is “very big on momentum.”

Lewis said anyone watching the game could easily come to a conclusion.

“We didn’t play very well and (Central) did,” he opined.

Central’s fifth-year coach Justin Lieser saw a lot on the diamond he liked.

“Our hitters went up there with a plan, hitting the ball up and down the lineup, really attacking (and) we ran the bases well,” he said.

“We had a really good practice and I felt like it carried over to today’s game,” Lieser said.

Saxony, which has been shutout this season by Chaffee, Kelly and Perryville, is now idle until the Class 2 District 1 tournament Oct. 14-15.

Central is back at it Thursday when the Tigers play Chaffee.

Scoring

Saxony Lutheran 0 1 1 – 2 3 6

Cape Central 5 10 2 – 17 13 4

WP: K. Williams. LP: B. Hale. 2B: (CC) K. Turk, 2; Witvoet, Williams. Multiple hits: (CC) K. Turk: 3-3, B. Witvoet: 2-3, C. Davis: 3-4, K. Bogan: 2-3. (SL) M. Braeuner: 2-2. Pitching: K. Williams (CC) 3 BB, 4K. (SL) B. Hale 4 BB, 3 K.