While the Labette Cardinals snapped a losing streak in Game 2, errors foiled the Cardinals in Game 1 as they split a softball doubleheader with Southwestern on Tuesday.
Labette lost Game 1 in extra innings, 14-10, before earning a run-rule win in Game 2, 15-4.
The Cardinals committed four errors, allowing four unearned runs to cross the plate, in the first game. Other defensive miscues extended innings, including one error that extended an atbat where Southwestern launched a grand slam.
Fielding woes have been problematic for several weeks for Labette after the Cardinals looked deadly to start the campaign.
“I have no idea. I told them between games that I don’t know what to tell them,” Labette head coach Ryan Phillips said. “We didn’t defend well. We didn’t do any aspect of the game well in Game 1. That was the call. I needed to see what we could do in Game 2. Can we hit a ball? Can we put pressure on their defense? Can we field the ball? We looked better, but we still gave up four in an inning with the same scenarios. That’s been our demise through the season so far.”
Labette ace Maddalynn Romo, still nursing a leg injury, exited Game 1 early.
“She said it was tightening up,” Phillips said. “We couldn’t play defense behind her anyways. And she was struggling to find the zone. So we just made a change.”
Phillips tweaked the lineup card in Game 2, moving Grace Strecker from third base to shortstop, putting Skylar Hutchison at third and putting Amelia Miller behind the dish.
“You have to go play or somebody is going to take your job,” Phillips said. “I don’t know if anybody took anybody’s job. Offensively, if you’re going to hit, you’ll be in the field. In that first game, we had backwards Ks and defensive mistakes. So we had to make a change. I don’t care what you do if you’re not going to be productive.”
Caitlyn Suhrie looked impressive in all three phases of the game — patrolling the outfield, replacing Romo in the circle and notching four hits and four RBIs in the series.
“That’s why she’s in the middle of the lineup for us,” Phillips said. “She’s been consistent for us. With pitching, she’s been hit-and-miss. That’s the same as the others. But when she’s on, she’s tough. Defensively, she reads the ball well and has a good arm. Offensively, she’s squaring balls up. She’s a hard out.”
Grace Strecker racked up eight hits in the series while Miller added four.
Labette moved to 8-12 overall with the split.
Up next
Labette played Crowder on Thursday at home. The Cardinals then face NEO A&M on the road on Monday in their final tune-up before KJCCC play starts on Thursday at home against Johnson County.
“I don’t know what to tell them. We take criticism like somebody is telling them the worst thing in the world,” Phillips said. “Then we put more pressure on ourselves instead of being coached and making the adjustments. That’s our biggest issue.”
