N. MYRTLE BEACH, SC – La Roche has hit their stride, winning three in a row including a pair of wins on Monday. The Redhawks ran away with an 18-3 win over Dean in the early game. They then hung on against Cedar Crest 7-6 in the last game. Ashley Burford hit for the cycle against Dean.
The Redhawks triggered the mercy rule for the second straight game with their 18-3 victory over Dean.
Savannah Leonard gave La Roche a first inning cushion. She pushed a three-run home run over the left field wall to score Burford and Andie Lippman. Kelsey Bayer added a run on an error as the Redhawks entered the bottom half of the first with a 4-0 lead.
Dean got two back on errors but the Redhawks' bats could not be stopped as they cruised. Burford belted a two-run home run to score Alexis Medva. Aubrie Martin doubled home Andie Lippman and scored on a Kelsey Plato triple up the middle. A Leonard sacrifice fly made it 9-0 after the second inning.
Burford's hot hitting continued into the third inning with an RBI single scoring Devan Smith. Burford and Medva scored on errors and Leonard singled home Martin.
Kayla Ordos led off the fourth inning with a single and scored on a Medva single up the middle. Burford tripled to left and advanced home on a Lippman swinging bunt. Two batters later, Leonard came to the plate and doubled home Lippman and Athena Smith.
Burford completed her cycle with an RBI double in the fifth inning.
Alexa Young improved to 2-0. She allowed just one earned run and struck out seven in five innings.
Burford went a perfect 5 for 5 with 5 RBI and 3 runs. Leonard hit in six and Lippman scored three runs.
La Roche scored seven runs in the third inning and held on to beat Cedar Crest 7-6 in Game 2.
The Redhawks squandered scoring opportunities in the first and second innings. Cedar Crest got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first, but La Roche broke it open in the third.
Martin tripled down the right field line to score Lippman and Burford. Martin scored on a groundout and Plato reached base and advanced home on a passed ball. Two batters later, Bayer lined a double into left scoring Medva and Devan Smith. Bayer scored on an Athena Smith liner up the middle.
Cedar Crest chipped away at the lead, scoring three in the third and two in the fourth. They were threatening in the bottom of the seventh, but a double-play ended the game.
Martin and Bayer each hit in two and Lippman had three hits. Leonard tossed three scoreless innings and Kaylee Grassmyer earned the win.