Sweetwater bats stand strong, errors prove costly in Knoxville

Sweetwater was putting the bat on the ball Friday afternoon, but continuous fielding errors led a productive night towards an eventual 17-12 loss at the Knoxville Webb Lady Spartans.

The Lady Wildcats (2-7) outhit their hosts 17-13, but six errors to a clean Webb game saw Sweetwater lose a fourth consecutive game.

“We talk over and over again, when we have five-plus errors we are not going to win ball games. We are putting up the runs … seven runs should win a ball game, typically,” Sweetwater coach Sarah Davies said. “But we are giving it away on unearned runs. If we could cut those errors, we would be a .500 ball team right now.

“The errors just continue to kill us.”

A young Sweetwater team, playing on Webb’s turf for the first time, started the night allowing three runs before Webb recorded a hit. The Lady Spartans added three hits later in the frame for a quick 5-0 advantage.

A leadoff error generated a three-run inning in the bottom of the second.

The Lady Wildcats did not allow a run through their clean innings. Sweetwater had moments defensively that looked solid.

Freshman Lilly Woodruff struck out two batters in a three-batter bottom of the third. A popout early in the count to Kylie Pliske served as the opening putout.

Webb went three-and-out again in the bottom of the sixth. A popout to Pliske and a groundout to third base let Woodruff’s 24th strikeout of the season end the frame.

Woodruff struck out a batter in the first inning deep into the count with runners on the corners. With one on and two out in the fourth inning, Sweetwater’s defense turned consecutive putouts to end the frame.

“There is so much athleticism and talent there. It is just refining the skills and putting it together to have a solid defensive performance,” Davies added.

Webb totaled five earned runs and 10 RBIs.

Sweetwater found two hits in the top of the first with one out — from Woodruff and Maddy Baylog — but a fielder’s choice at third base followed by a caught stealing ended the frame.

Sweetwater got two more runs on in the second inning, but could not capitalize on the moment.

Runs started to cross the plate one frame later.

Shanea Jewell and Woodruff put themselves on the corners before Madisyn Vestal’s liner into center field scored Jewell, cutting Webb’s advantage to 8-1.

Woodruff found the second run stealing home in Tori Thompson’s at-bat.

Andrea Jones reached third in the fourth inning through a steal and a sacrifice bunt, but the freshman was left stranded.

The hits were strung together heavily in the fifth inning — trailing 9-2. The No. 1 through No. 5 batters — Danielle Jones, Woodruff, Vestal, Thompson and Kylie Pliske — all singled in succession, scoring three runs.

“We are putting the runs on and stringing the hits together. We are not overpowering anybody, but we are getting timely hits when we need to,” Davies added.

Webb nearly escaped the jam with two quick outs, but Kylie Baylog put everyone in front of her across the plate with a thunderous triple.

Sweetwater cut a lead down to two runs.

With the game cut down to a two-run score, Sweetwater committed zero errors but was held to three hits.

Sweetwater is off for a week, giving the Lady Cats time to regroup. Maddy Baylog — who has stood out at first base and shortstop — has been moved into concussion protocol after a tag in the first inning.

Woodruff has faced 226 batters through seven games, setting up a week for her to rest the arm.