The Lakewood softball team wants to make every swing count this season, and the Lancers did just that Tuesday afternoon as they had 16 hits in their 11-8 win over Long Beach Poly at Joe Rodgers.
Catcher Kendall Lundberg led the way for the Lancers (4-4, 2-0) with two triples, an inside-the-park home run and four RBI.
“I knew they were coming after us,” Lundberg said. “I just wanted to bring it and show them who we are.”
Lakewood wasted no time as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to back-to-back successful bunts by Brienna Weekes and Brooklyn Baruch. Lundberg took advantage of the base runners with her first triple to clear the bases and give Lakewood a 2-0 lead in the first inning.
“I want to move them,” Lundberg said. “I want to score some runs and win and give the pitcher some cushion too.”
Laci Berecochea brought Lundberg home with a RBI single to give the Lancers a 3-0 lead. After Poly cut the Lancers lead to 4-1, the Lancers scored three more runs in the third inning to take a 7-1 lead.
Poly cut Lakewood’s lead again to 7-2 after the third inning, but the Lancers answered scoring two more runs to take a 9-2 lead in the fourth inning.
The Jackrabbits (0-2, 0-2) didn’t lay down as they slowly tried to cut into Lakewood’s lead. In the sixth inning a two-run double by Bella Alonso cut the Lancers’ lead to 9-4.
Sakarah Buckner finished the inning with a RBI single to cut the Lancer’s lead to 9-5 heading into the seventh inning.
“They didn’t lay down, they kept fighting,” Poly coach Elizabeth Sanches said. “That’s what Poly’s all about. We have so much heart and so much will and so much desire to be a successful program.”
The Lancers extended their lead to 11-5 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning.
Poly had an answer as they scored three runs in the last inning thanks to a few errors and a fielder’s choice.
Lakewood will face Millikan on Thursday at Lisa Fernandez Field while Poly visits Cabrillo.
