Softball: After slow start, Lady Guard deliver back-to-back wins

Brook Hill lost four of its first five games, all of it to much higher classification UIL competition, but the Lady Guard responded with back-to-back wins Saturday over Daingerfield and Quitman to close out their first week at 3-3.

The Lady Guard were stopped 15-5 by Whitehouse, 6-0 by Pine Tree and 9-0 by Longview.

Brook Hill posted a 10-2 win over Chapel Hill.

Here are roundups from the Lady Guard’s games Saturday against Quitman and Daingerfield:

Lady Guard 8, Quitman 4

Alyssa Duplichain homered and doubled with Brianna Young also delivering a two-bagger as Brook Hill scored eight runs in the first two innings of an eventual 8-4 win over Quitman, which evened its record to 3-3.

Kasey Anderson got the win on the mound, allowing three earned runs while surrendering five hits and three walks with three strikeouts.

Maddie Anthony began a six-run first inning by being hit by a pitch, followed by a single from Anderson. That put runners at first and second with Anderson and Anderson delivering a double steal before Anthony came home on a passed ball. Anderson trotted home as part of a two-run homer by Duplichain.

Leading 3-0, Brook Hill stayed in control with AD Kuechle singling up the middle and going to second on a passed ball before racing home on an RBI single by Brianna Young. That made it 4-0, but the Lady Guard were not finished. Kendall Clayton scored on Young on a sacrifice bunt with Micah Lovelady, who singled to reach first, eventually stole home for a 6-0 lead.

Brook Hill tacked on two more runs in the second inning when Duplichain led off with a double and scored on a single from Kuechle, who came home on a double by Young.

Quitman        011   2  — 4  5  0

Lady Guard   620  x  —  8  8  1

Kasey Anderson and Maddie Anthony. W — Anderson. 2B — Alyssa Duplichain, Brianna Young. HR — Alyssa Duplichain (one runner on, second inning). SB — Anthony, Micah Lovelady. SAC — Lovelady, Kendall Clayton

Hits (8): Anderson 1, Duplichain 2, Kuechle 2, Young 2, Lovelady 1.

Runs (8): Anthony 1, Anderson 1, Duplichain 2, Kuechle 2, Young 1, Lovelady 1.

RBIs (6): Duplichain 2, Kuechle 1, Clayton 1, Young 2.

Lady Guard 6, Daingerfield 3

AD Kuechle and Brianna Young each had two hits and scored two runs in a 6-3 win over Daingerfield. Kendall Clayton got the win in the circle, going 5 and 2/3 innings while allowing two earned runs on two hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Brook Hill never trailed in the game with the Lady Guard seizing control with four runs in the bottom of the third to break open a scoreless encounter.

Vanna Dean started things off with a leadoff walk followed by a single from Maddie Anthony to put runners on the corners with no outs. Dean scored on an RBI groundout out by Kasey Anderson with Anthony later scoring on an RBI groundout by Alyssa Duplichain. Kuechle doubled with two outs and scored when Young reached on an error.

A single by Micah Lovelady pushed Young to third and she later scored on another Daingerfield error for a 4-0 lead.

Its lead cut to 4-1, Brook Hill tacked on two more runs for good measure in the fifth. Kuechle and Young hit singles to put two runners on and both scored on RBI groundouts, one from Clayton and the other from Lovelady.

Daingerfield         000   012  —  3   2   3

Lady Guard       004     02x  —  6   8   1

Kendall Clayton and Maddie Anthony. W — Clayton. 2B — Kuechle. SB — Vanna Dean, Brianna Young.

Hits (8): Anthony 2, Anderson 1, Kuechle 2, Young 2, Lovelady

Runs (6): Anthony 1, Kuechle 2, Young 2, Dean 1

RBIs (4): Anderson 1, Duplichain 1, Lovelady 1, Clayton 1

Walks (3):  Dean 2, Travis 1