Entering the softball season, the Helias Lady Crusaders had a pretty good idea of what they were going to get out of the top four hitters in the lineup.
For the next five, it was a bit of a wait-and-see attitude. In Tuesday night's opener against Battle at Duensing Field, those five shined.
"They did a great job of putting the ball in play," Lady Crusaders coach Dan Campbell said after Helias posted a 6-2 victory.
The fivesome finished with seven hits, five runs scored and two RBI for the Lady Crusaders.
"They showed a little something," Campbell said.
The top four made their presence felt in the first inning. After Helias starting pitcher Lindsey Steinbeck set down Battle on just four pitches, Helias got its first run of the season in the bottom of the frame.
With one out, Julie Harris stepped to the plate. Knowing Harris is a prolific bunter with very good speed, Battle moved the rightfielder to stand just behind second base for a five-player infield.
But Harris beat the defense with a grounder to left-center for a double. She then came home on a single by Grace Dittmer.
The bottom of the lineup got into the action in the bottom of the second. Kaylie LeCuru led off with a double and was sacrificed to third by Riley Bond before Steinbeck singled her home to make it 2-0.
Abbi Pringer, a freshman, followed with a triple down the line in right to score designated runner Sophia Carr.
"We didn't want to put a lot of pressure on her, so we put her in the No. 9 spot," Campbell said. "We'll see how it goes, but it was definitely a good start for her."
Haley Kempker then tripled over the head of the left fielder to make it 4-0.
After Battle scored a run in the third, Helias got two in the fourth. Steinbeck led off with a single before Pringer hit a ground-rule double under the fence in right to put runners at second and third.
"(Pringer's) been looking pretty good in practice and we were confident she could do it at this level," Campbell said. "And she proved it tonight."
Kempker and Harris then picked up RBI on consecutive groundouts to make it 6-1.
Four of Helias' 10 hits went for extra bases.
"We've got some speed and when we put the ball in play, we can get those extra bases," Campbell said.
Battle tried to climb back into it in the sixth, loading the bases with nobody out. But Pringer went up to snare a line drive before throwing to first to get a double play. Battle did get a run on an infield single to make it 6-2 before Steinbeck got out of it on a fly ball to center.
"Lindsey did what she needed to do," Campbell said.
Steinbeck allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out three.
"That's a good win for us, they got us twice last year," Campbell said.
Defensive woes plagued the Lady Crusaders last season. Helias did have two errors Tuesday, but also made some good plays in the field.
"We made 90 percent of the plays and that's pretty good," Campbell said. "The girls have been working hard and and if we continue to play like this, we're going to be pretty successful this season."
Helias is scheduled to play Thursday at Rolla.
Tuesday's junior varsity game ended in a tie at 7 in a contest called after six innings.