Sometimes the plan doesn't quite work out. Sometimes it works out better that it didn't.
With runners at second and third in a tie game in the fifth inning Tuesday night, Helias tried to get a bunt down to take the lead. The bunt went foul, but the Lady Crusaders got the lead they wanted.
Taylor Woehr fired a single up the middle, scoring two runs and coming around herself on a three-base error. Helias added another run in the sixth and won 5-1 against Southern Boone at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.
"We had a little squeeze on and we didn't get the bunt down," Lady Crusaders coach Dan Campbell said. " But then Taylor smoked the next ball to center. It worked out."
The ball got past the center fielder and Woehr made it around to score well before the tag.
"That's the kid that we want running in that situation," Campbell said. "She can fly."
All that was set up by Riley Harrison's leadoff infield single, a wild pitch, and Abbi Pringer reaching on an error and stealing second base.
Pringer got Helias on the board with a solo home run to left field in the third inning to finish with two hits. Harrison led Helias with three hits.
Helias' final run came in the sixth as Riley Heckenkamp led off with a single, made it all the way to third on an error and scored on Sophia Carr's groundout.
Lauren Howell closed out a two-hit performance in the circle with a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts to finish with 13. Howell had allowed nine runs in Saturday's 14-7 loss to Blair Oaks in the Capital City Invitational.
"I knew she'd bounce back," Campbell said. "She's too good of a player not to."
Southern Boone's lone run was unearned.
Dani Post reached on an error in the fourth inning and later scored on Andrea Reeder's single to right field.
The only other hit for the Lady Eagles was Post's double to deep right field in the first inning. A popout and strikeout stranded her at second.
"She stepped it up a notch when she needed to," Campbell said of Howell. "Great players can do that."
Howell retired the side in order three times, including the second when a the high heat got a strikeout to end the inning.
"It looks good coming in there but a lot of times they can't catch up to it," Campbell said. "She threw a lot of changeups tonight and that was by design. It's going to make her fastball that much better."
After playing six games in eight days, Helias (13-2) will have some needed rest as it doesn't play again until Tuesday at Fatima.
"Get (Howell) some rest, get some other players some rest and start thinking about districts a little bit more," Campbell said. "We've been playing a lot. I think we're a little tired mentally and physically. I think a little time off is going to help us."