Lexington High School’s struggling fast-pitch softball team got the scheduling break it needed with two home games against Class 3A-2 district foe Crooked Oak August 25.

After five losses to open the season, the Lady Dawgs erupted for 21 hits and 31 runs in 14-0 and 17-1 victories, the first for new coach Katelynn Lewis.

Both games were called after just two innings of play.

Junior Cote Garver played well in both games, collecting two hits and two RBIs in the opener. She then hit three doubles and drove in five runs in the nightcap.

“Garver is doing great so far,” Lewis told The Purcell Register. “She consistently does well as a lead off because she goes deep into counts and sees lots of pitches.”

Senior Marleigh Givens also shined against Crooked Oak, hitting two doubles and knocking in five runs in the second game.  She started in the circle and struck out four batters.

Givens, who has overcome a pair of knee injuries, also added a run-scoring double in the first game.

“Marleigh is starting to get back into a groove hitting as well as pitching,” Lewis said.

Emma Garrett pitched two scoreless innings without a walk and had four strikeouts in the first game. She added three hits, including a triple and a double, and knocked in three runs on the day.

Lexington stole 14 bases in two games, including three each by Bryn Easom and Charlie Ross. Garver and Gracie White added two steals each.

While the wins were a big step forward for the Lady Dawgs (2-6), they were sandwiched between lopsided district losses to Bethel (14-0) August 24 and Henryetta (8-0) on August 27.

Garrett struggled in the circle against Bethel, surrendering all 19 hits and 14 runs. Lexington managed just two hits in that game and three hits against Henryetta. 

The Lady Dawgs committed five errors against Henryetta, leading to five unearned runs for the Lady Knights. Garrett and Givens split the pitching duties. None of the five runs Givens allowed was earned.

“The Bethel and Henryetta games were both tough losses,” Lewis said. “We are leaving too many runners on base and not hitting in situations that we need to.

In addition to three hits against Bethel, Lexington did draw five walks and a batter was hit by a pitch, so nine batters reached base.

“We can’t leave as many runners on base as we have and still win games. At Henryetta, we stranded 10 runners. It’s a different ball game if we capitalize with runners on,” Lewis concluded.