Hammond senior first baseman Rachel Hanna waits for a throw against Wilson Hall. Photo by Jim Marczesky The Hammond Lady Skyhawks softball nine kept it close during its two SCISA playoff games on May 7, but excellent pitching and timely hitting doomed them, as they were beaten by Laurence Manning 11–1 and Wilson Hall 10–0 to end their season.

During the opener against the Lady Cats, Laurence Manning hitters bunted and blooped their way to a 3–0 lead. After LMA put up a quick run in the first, the two teams traded no–run at–bats in the second. In the third, Martina Weber was hit by a pitch, then scored on a Katie Lamb double to put the second run on the board. Lamb advanced on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Catherine Windham, then scored on a Grace Beatson bloop single to third.

In the fifth, Hammond got on the board when junior outfielder Caroline Harris smashed the ball up the middle for a single, Faythe Goins walked, and freshman Caroline Penland hit an RBI single.

But that was all Hammond could muster, as shortstop Brooks Burnside struck out, and courtesy runner Sydney Beasley was caught stealing third.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lady Swampcats rallied for five runs, with a barrage of hits off eighth grader Ellie Locke including a triple by Tessa Sanford, a single by Nicole Sousa, and a double by Julia Coward. The Swampcats finished off the Skyhawks in the sixth with a variety of walks and double steals, and the game was called by mercy rule in the sixth.

During the 8 p.m. loser’s bracket game against Wilson Hall, Hammond had an auspicious start. Its top three batters struck out in the first against Wilson Hall’s ace pitcher Ansley Ard.

Ard then bunted her way on in the bottom of the first but was caught stealing at third. However, with two outs, Emily Turner bunted in a run for a 1–0 lead.

An error and wild pitch accounted for the next two runs, and Wilson Hall held a 3–0 advantage over Hammond that remained the same through the fifth inning. The Lady Barons put one more on the board on a bases–loaded walk, but Hammond got out of the inning with a double play turned by second baseman Grace Cobbs, who fielded a sharp line drive and lobbed it to senior Rachel Hanna at first to catch the runner off base.

Hammond’s bats came alive in the sixth off relief pitcher Grace Beatson. Penland walked, advanced on a wild pitch, and ended up on third on a fielder’s choice. Cobbs then walked and stole second. By that time, Wilson Hall had seen enough and brought starting pitcher Ard back, who quickly forced the final out of the inning.

Wilson Hall then ended the suspense with a steady stream of hits in the sixth including drives by Cameron Smith, Ard, Caroline Cunningham, Emily Turner, and Erin Carter. The game was called after the 10th run was scored in the sixth.

Hammond coach Ken Beasley said he has been pleased with the progress of his Skyhawk team, which won five games this year and called out his seniors for their leadership.

“Rachel Hanna and Brooks Burnside started doing things that leaders should do to make their teams better including calling timeouts during games to settle the players down,” Beasley said. “They should be commended for stepping up to those roles.”

Beasley also complimented his young pitchers, who had to step up to the plate because of injuries to his two starters.

“Ellie Locke, who is in eighth grade, came up from junior varsity and helped keep us in the game with her pitching and excellent defensive plays,” he said. “We had some great defense from all our players to keep us in these games.”