H&R Block uses bats to run away to 8-4 win Friday night

Published 12:00 am Saturday, May 27, 2017

H&R Block got rolling early and didn’t look back as it combined for 13 hits Friday night to take down Johnny’s Pizza House in Vidalia Little League Softball action, 8-4.

H&R Block took a comfortable 4-0 lead after one inning with the help of Mack Bennett’s three-run inside-the-park home run on a ground hit to left field.

“We have been working on (hitting),” H&R Block coach Kelly Estis said. “The girls have listened, and they’ve gone to work. I just sit back and let them do it.”

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H&R Block added two more runs in the second and one each in the third and fourth innings to secure the win. Behind Bennett, Sidney Watts and Leah Keith ended with three hits, aiding to the offensive efforts. Watts added three RBIs and one run scored, and Keith finished with one RBI and two runs scored.

“They play well together, they really do,” Estis said. “When you get them to where they are constantly playing together, they know what to expect out of each other.”

Johnny’s Pizza struggled to get anything going on offense, however, and coach Donald Bertelson said missing players was what hurt his team the most.

Johnny’s Pizza received help from Angus Farmer Sluggers to fill out its roster.

“You’re going to have difficulties whenever you don’t have your whole team here,” Bertelson said. “We are missing five girls tonight that definitely would have made a difference. Without (the substitutes), I would not have been able to be able to play tonight.”

Lexi Mayhard and Alyssa Cupstid were the only two players from Johnny’s Pizza to register a hit in the loss.

“We didn’t hit the ball well at all,” Berelson said.

Others ending with multiple hits for H&R Block were Karlee Keith and Morgan Estis, each with two. Abbey Hardie, Zoey Loomis and Hannah Tolar also registered a hit in the win.

“This summer is all about having fun and finding their love of the game, and they have,” Kelly said. “They’ve had a blast.”