Save from a hiccup in the first inning, William Monroe saw everything go its way. The Dragons might have started out in a 3-run thanks to a home run from Manassas Park’s Tiffany Herisdon, but that was just about all the Cougars could muster. The Dragons allowed just one base runner after the first, and on the other side of the plate it was simply a feast. Thanks to a trio of home runs, a slew of walks, aggressive base running and Manassas’ struggles in the field, Monroe was able to cruise to a 17-3 win in five innings.
“We’re all still getting used to each other right now with this being my first year with the team,” said Monroe coach Greg Breeden. “It takes some figuring out and that’s what we’re doing right now but I think we’re going to be alright. We’ve got some really good hitters, young ones and older ones. Right now we’re just feeling it out, and I thought the team responded well tonight.”
Down 3-0 in the bottom of the first, things quickly turned in Monroe’s favor as a suicide bunt from Alexis Wayland wound up scoring two runs and then Catitlin Chesebro drove in two more runs on a single and then scored after an error. A walk to Leanna Lamb followed by two passed balls made it 6-3.
In the second the Dragons added more and, the highlight coming with the first of two homers from McKenzie Flora.
“We had to be patient and make sure we got our weight back,” Flora said of the offensive approach. “We made really good contact tonight. We waited and battled to find the right pitch.”
Her solo shot paired with a single, two walks, an error and two passed balls made it 11-3. In the third Flora hit her second jack only to have Makayla Morris go yard as well to make it 13-3. Monroe added four walks, a single and three passed balls in the fifth to get up by 17-4.
“We might have got a bit of a baptism by fire in the first game (against Clarke County),” Breeden said. “But I think we’re going to be able to pull it together and be a dangerous team but we just have take care of the bumps in the road early in the season. We came out tonight to play and that was good to see. These girls are working hard in practice, I’ve been working them hard. Everyday I see them getting better.”
On the night Flora was 2 for 3 with two homers, a walk and three runs scored. Makayala Morris was 1 for 1 with a home run, two walks, was hit by a pitch and scored four runs. Hannah Carpenter went 2 for 2 and also scored three runs.
Monroe (1-1) travels to Rappahannock on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
