LISBON — Lisbon softball coach Terri Tlumac has looked for consistency from her lineup throughout the spring.
The Greyhounds got production up and down their lineup in a doubleheader sweep of Carrabec, winning 9-6 and 11-7, albeit at different times.
“One of these days we are going to string together nine batters and it will be amazing when it happens,” said Tlumac.
In the opener, the bottom of Lisbon’s lineup — Sydney Plourde, Joanna Turner and Sarah Haggerty — combined for three hits, five runs and three RBIs.
In Game 2, it was the top four that came through as Giana Russo, Mallory Fairbanks, Kiley Merritt and Ivy Morris were a combined 7-of-13 at the plate with seven runs scored and seven RBIs.
For Carrabec (2-11), it was a pair of solid games where a big hit might have made a difference.
“We’re starting to really hit the ball. We scored 17 runs in our last game. We made some mistakes, but we are up there swinging the bat and not striking out much. We have no seniors,” said Cobras coach Terry Corson.
Game 1
The Greyhounds seemed to put the game away in the third, plating five runs as Turner ripped a two-run double and Haggerty followed with a run-scoring single as Lisbon stormed ahead 9-2.
But the Cobras rallied for four runs in the fourth to get back into the game.
“It is always a close game with Carrabec, and for us it is about getting my ‘A’ team or my ‘B’ team,” said Tlumac. “They just are not firing on all cylinders, and when half the order is hitting and the other isn’t, it is just not consistent.”
Holmes, who was 2-for-3 in both contests, started the rally with a single with Sarah Olson (RBI single) and Slate (two-run double) adding key hits in the frame.
“If we put everything together we can compete with most of the teams in the league,” said Holmes, who pitched both games. “My teammates are really good at backing me up, and we hung in there today.”
Fairbanks earned the win, pitching all five innings on six hits, seven walks and three strikeouts. Holmes permitted just five hits with three walks and two punch-outs.
Game 2
Despite playing on its home field, Lisbon played as the visitors in the second game.
The Greyhounds started fast, as Russo tripled to open the game and scored on a two-run double by Merritt. Morris drove in Merritt with a single, and Erica Hill and Carly Drischler produced a base-knock each. Russo and Morris each added a single later in the frame as Lisbon plated eight runs.
“I wasn’t really in the game until everyone started cracking the bat,” said Morris. “The start made it a lot easier today, especially when we got into the fourth and fifth inning of that second game.”
“I said we had to move on from the first game and come out fresh and swinging the bats,” added Tlumac. “It wasn’t a new pitcher, and we had seen her. They knew the expectation was to come out strong.”
Carrabec didn’t go away. The Cobras picked up four runs in their first swings as Giroux tripled and Cheyenne Sirois drove in a pair with a double.
In the opening frame, the teams combined to bring 22 hitters to plate with 12 runs and 10 hits as Lisbon held an 8-4 advantage.
Carrabec closed to 8-6 in the second as Slate drove in a run with a double, but Lisbon answered with three runs in the third, with Fairbanks singling in a run, followed by a two-run single by Morris.
Hill earned the mound win in Game 2, going the distance on eight hits, two strikeouts and three walks. Holmes permitted 10 hits and five walks with two strikeouts.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
