Michael Pineda
DUNCAN — Since this summer, the Comanche softball team has been a thorn in the side of the Duncan Lady Demons. That thorn was removed Monday with Judy Dines and Sarah Harper filling out the role of tweezers.
Harper hit a two-run shot over the centerfield wall in the first inning and Dines hurled a three-hit shutout to lead Duncan to a 6-0 win. The Lady Demons exploded for five of their six runs in the first off of starter Shayna Milam who was replaced by Kenzie Reed in the second inning.
“I just thought we had a good approach at the plate,” Duncan head coach Robert Cowan said. “We were going to come out aggressive.
“I’d like to think this is a measuring stick but I have seen us play as bad as we played good today. Our girls know a lot of girls on their team, we had a little motivation to play today.”
That motivation was apparent in the bottom of the first inning. Kinzie Kennedy led off with a single and after stealing second base, came home on an error that allowed Caylin Lynch to reach first base. Sarah Harper followed with a two-run homer, her first of the year.
The onslaught continued as Madison Pewitt reached on an error and Allison Edwards singled. A single by Ashlee Perkins scored both runners to account for the five runs in the inning.
“Most of the times you start off well, it’s hard to keep it up but five runs in softball is like 10 in baseball,” Cowan said.
Milam, who shut out Duncan in a game at the Tuttle Tournament, was tagged for one earned run and four hits in her one inning of work.
“We have always jumped on them early and today we allowed them to take us out of the game early,” Comanche coach Bill Berry said. “The first error opened the door for them, we just came out flat.”
Dines picked up where the offense let up, shutting down the Comanche attack. Dines retired the first nine batters she faced, giving up a leadoff double to Milam in the fourth inning. Dines also gave up a single to Jacobi Clark and a single to Tanya Whaley in the seventh while
striking out eight without giving up a walk.
“She wasn’t throwing it hard but she located the ball well and that is half the battle,” Cowan said.
Comanche’s Kenzie Reed also had a good game in relief. Milam flirted with danger throughout the game but only allowed one run, which came in the fifth inning. Harper led off with a double and a Sarah Green single scored the final run of the game.
Reed struck out seven in five innings, giving up one walk. Duncan stranded seven runners against Reed, six in scoring position.
“Kenzie pitched a heck of a game,” Berry said. “We just didn’t hit the ball. We got three hits and it is hard to win a game with that.”
Kennedy and Harper each went 2-4 to lead the Lady Demons who will travel to Lawton Mac today. Comanche will be off until Thursday when it hosts the Comanche Tournament.
