Cougars Kick the Hornets’ Nest and Win

The Oakton Cougars visited the nest of the Herndon Hornets on May 12 and came away with a 6 – 3 win.  This is the Cougars’ second win in a row.

After a scoreless first inning, the Cougar bats awoke in the top of the second inning.  DP Brittany Thompson led off the inning with a line drive single past the feet of Herndon’s pitcher.  Left fielder Danni Nicholls followed with single to center field, moving Thompson to second base.  Right fielder Linda Lyons followed with a sac bunt that initially moved Thompson and Nicholls to third and second bases.  Lyons ended up safe on first when the Hornets’ first baseman errantly missed the put-out catch, while Thompson scored and Nicholls went to third base on the play when the ball reached the fence behind first base.

Third baseman Marissa Sanzone appeared next at the plate for the Cougars, and she hit a double into center field, plating Nicholls and Lyons, and making the score 3-0.  Not to be outdone, first baseman Katie Edwards then hit a double to left field, plating Sanzone.  A little later, on a grounder to the Herndon shortstop, Sanzone checked and then started a delayed advance to third base when the shortstop threw to first base.  The Herndon first baseman threw back to third base to try to put her out, but the throw was off target and she advanced to home when the ball went to the fence.  The score was 5-0 Oakton when the Cougars’ at bat ended.

The Hornets answered back with three runs in the bottom of the second inning when their center fielder hit a two-out, bases-loaded triple.  Pitcher Taylor Fay struck out the next Hornet, leaving the Herndon runner  stranded at third base with the score 5-3 Oakton.

The Cougar defense played errorlessly throughout the game and mostly kept the Hornets off the bases after the second inning.  The Cougar outfield was busy as they made seven catches throughout the game.

The Cougars put runners in scoring position in each of innings three through six, but could not get a run across the plate during that stretch despite singles by Kamienski, Nicholls, and second baseman Georgia Brandt (2), and a double by Thompson.

The Cougars added one insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Fay led off the inning with a single and Lyons brought her home by hitting an RBI double into right field.  This made the final score 6-3 in Oakton’s favor.

Taylor Fay went the distance in the circle for Oakton, striking out eight, walking one, and allowing seven hits.