BUCKHANNON, W.Va. — Entering Thursday’s contest at Buckhannon-Upshur, Lincoln had allowed 13 runs in 12 games and posted five shutout victories.
While the Buccaneers hit Cougars’ sophomore phenom Delaney Haller better than any team to this point in the season, it hardly mattered.
Instead, Delaney hit a home run and double, while five of the Cougars’ 16 hits went for extra bases as the offense led the way to a 16-6 six-inning victory at Buckhannon-Upshur.
“We’re not thinking about our record,” LHS coach Yancey Weaver said. “We’re just thinking about making that next play and they’re showing it on the field.”
Lincoln did not strike out and never trailed in the victory, though the Cougars (13-0) had difficulty shaking the Buccaneers (6-5) early on.
Four hits in the top of the first inning, including an Alexis Williams RBI single and Haller’s run-scoring double, allowed Lincoln to lead 2-0.
B-U got even in the home half of the first as Shelby McDaniels connected for an RBI double and Brooklyn Robinson added an RBI single.
“The top four in my lineup are all juniors and they’ve played a lot of softball and seen just about everything,” Bucs’ coach Levi Bender said. “We got together, had a game plan and everybody had an idea on what to attack and what pitches they were looking for. We executed on some of them — just didn’t get enough of them.”
The Cougars went on top for good with a three-run third, getting a sacrifice fly from Destiny Cunningham, Karriss Drain’s RBI groundout and a triple to right from Alania Rice that brought Emily Robey home.
Still, the Bucs fought back and got to within one run in the bottom of the frame after McDaniels doubled to right to score Alyssa Rohr and Hayden Peters’ infield single scored McDaniels.
Lincoln seized control with four runs in the fourth to up its lead to 9-4. Hannah Ferris and Haller each had an RBI single in the frame, while Cunningham and Drain had productive outs to each drive in a run.
“Our base-running was much better tonight than it has been and we capitalized when we could,” Weaver said. “One thing I noticed on our base-running, the girls know what to do, but they’re still listening to me.”
The Bucs continued to get production from the top of their lineup and cut their deficit to three runs when they came to bat in the fourth. McDaniels and Robin Ball each accounted for an RBI single in the inning.
But the Cougars doubled their advantage in the fifth, getting a groundout from Ferris to score Madi Martin, while Cadence Lambert scored on Williams’ groundout.
Haller added a solo home run off the left field foul pole tom make it 12-6.
“It makes my job a lot easier when they’re hitting the ball like they were and have been,” Weaver said. “The confidence just keeps building for these girls.”
In the sixth, Ferris’ RBI double and Williams’ sacrifice fly accounted for half of Lincoln’s four runs.
Haller, meanwhile, settled in nicely and retired the final six batters she faced. Haller allowed nine hits but struck out 10 without issuing a base-on-balls.
“Some pitchers maybe get weaker, but I feel she gets stronger as the game goes,” Weaver said.
McDaniels was tagged for 15 runs on 15 hits in 5 1/3 innings while suffering the loss.
Lambert, Ferris, Haller and Robey had three hits apiece in the win, while Ferris, Williams and Haller drove in three runs each.
McDaniels had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and three RBIs in the setback. Rohr scored half of B-U’s six runs.