The few consolations McComb slowpitch softball head coach Cody Hall can take out of the season thus far are that there is a bit of hope and a lot of games left to be played.
Hall saw his Lady Tigers fall to 0-4 on the young season Tuesday in an 11-0, five-inning loss to the Lawrence County Lady Cougars at Sammy Clark Field.
The Lady Tigers managed just three hits — two singles by Lauren Mabile and one from Kamry Creel — and did not advance a runner past second base.
“We didn’t show up ready to play,” Hall said. “Our defense kept us in the game, but we’ve got to start hitting the ball.”
While the Lady Tigers were having problems hitting, Lawrence County was having no such trouble. The Lady Cougars got a pair of doubles along with two singles to plate two first-inning runs.
The Lady Tigers, meanwhile, learned quickly to avoid hitting the ball to the Lawrence County shortstop, who had a hand in the first six McComb outs.
After snaring a line drive and cleanly fielding two grounders in the first inning, she registered three more infield assists in the second inning, including ranging to her left to field a grounder by McComb hitter Victoria Price behind the second-base bag, then throwing to first to get the out.
McComb’s best scoring chance came in the third inning. Creel led off the frame with her sharp single past the shortstop into center field, and Breann Talbert walked to put runners on first and second with nobody out.
The threat ended, however, when the next two hitters grounded into force plays at third base, followed by a line drive to third to close out the inning.
Lawrence County added to its lead in the fourth on consecutive doubles to lead off. A dropped popup and RBI single extended the lad to 4-0.
The Lady Cougars could have added to their lead when a walk loaded the bases with nobody out. But McComb pitcher Casey Brumfeld retired the next hitter on a pop-up to Price in center field. She quickly fired the ball to catcher Hanna Thompson, forcing the runners to hold. The next two hitters grounded back to Brumfeld, who threw to Thompson for consecutive force plays that ended the inning.
The Lady Tigers’ only other baserunner came on Mabile’s second hit of the game, a bloop single that dropped fair into shallow right field before trickling into foul territory to lead off the fourth inning. But the next six McComb hitters failed to get the ball out of the infield.
Despite his team’s lack of offense, Hall believed his Lady Tigers would pull it all together.
“When we start hitting the ball,” he said, “we’ve got a good team. Once we become consistent, we’re going to be there.”
The Lady Tigers will be in action again Thursday when they visit Bogue Chitto. Junior varsity starts at 5 p.m., followed by the varsity game.
