Fatima's offense comes alive in win against Helias

WESTPHALIA - Coming off an undisciplined night at the plate, Fatima head coach Dana Scheppers was looking for a little more out of her offense.

Her team responded accordingly.

One night after striking out nine times in a win against St. Elizabeth, the Lady Comets could do little wrong Tuesday and routed Helias 10-0 in five innings.

"Tonight we came out and we hit better," Scheppers said. "We were swinging at better pitches. Good things happen when you swing at good pitches."

It started with plate discipline. The Lady Comets struck out just twice and took three walks from Helias starter Lindsey Steinbeck. Fatima pounded out 11 hits and was in control from the onset.

The Lady Comets took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Sammey Bunch and blew things open in the third. After an RBI single by Morgan Brandt with the bases loaded gave Fatima a 2-0 lead, Logan Abbott cleared the bases with a three-run double to put the Lady Comets up 5-0. A dropped pop up in front of home plate put Fatima up 6-0.

"We've kind of been struggling lately at the plate and in the field," Scheppers said. "Just finally for once we all came together from the offensive and defensive end and came out and took advantage of some situations."

The big blow came in the fourth. After back-to-back singles by Leah Kesel and Bunch, Brandt launched a three-run home run to left to put Fatima up 9-0. Fatima added another run on an RBI groundout by Christine Brunnert. It was Brandt's third home run of the season.

"We've got to have someone after Sammey, because she's going to get walked this season," Scheppers said. "(Brandt) steps up."

Kesel was sharp on the mound as she shut out Helias on six hits with three strikeouts.

While everything went right for Fatima, everything went wrong for Helias.

The Lady Crusaders had baserunners in every inning, but didn't put together much of a threat with their six hits. Peyton Hall was the only Lady Crusader with two hits.

"I thought we were ready to come down and give them a good game," Helias coach Dan Campbell said. "I told the girls we didn't do anything to win the game. We didn't execute on defense, we didn't get any bunts down. We didn't pitch, we didn't field. We didn't do anything. They did what a good team should do. They 10-runned us."

Any momentum the Lady Crusaders had from a good weekend at the Liberty Tournament went out the window.

Helias committed three errors.

"It seems like we take one step forward and two steps back sometimes," Campbell said. "I don't know. It's frustrating right now. I know the girls are frustrated too. We've got to find some intestinal fortitude and when something doesn't go well during the game, we've got to suck it up and make it happen. We're not doing that right now."

Helias (6-12) plays again today at home against Hickman. Fatima (7-6) is back in action at home Thursday against Blair Oaks.

"Right now we're not letting those little things that happen affect us in the later innings," Scheppers said. "We're kind of putting those behind us and going forward with it. With districts in two weeks, that's exactly what we've been trying to preach to these girls. And for us to be able to do that finally. It's like they're getting something."