HIGHLAND — Lone Peak used first-inning fireworks to put eight runs on the board en route to a 10-0 drubbing of Timpview on Wednesday.
Only three hits contributed to the eight-run first as the Knights caught breaks with five walks and two Thunderbird errors. Seven of the runs came with two outs for the ladies in crimson and black.
With one out, Laura Goodrich started Lone Peak off with the first of eight walks in the game, then proceeded to steal second and third before pitcher Tami Peterson joined her on the bases with a walk of her own.
Hilary Welch flew out to left, but an error on the throw home allowed the first score for the Knights. Turns out that was the only run the Knights would have needed in the five-inning blowout, but they were far from finished.
A passed ball sent the second run across the plate before Morgan Robinson strolled to first on the third walk of the inning. The Knights had already scored two runs but had yet to record a hit. After Robinson stole third, Rachel Steineckert smacked the first single to shallow right field scoring the third run for Lone Peak.
Stolen bases, wild pitches, passed balls and walks allowed another run to cross the plate before Jessica Stonehocker singled to right, picking up an RBI.
The biggest fireworks of the first, though, came off the bat of Jena Sears in her second turn at the plate. She knocked a triple down the third-base line to deep left field and picked up three of her four RBIs. She scored the eighth run of the inning on another error, and then Peterson smacked a line drive to second, but it was snagged by the Timpview second baseman to finally end the inning.
"The girls hit the ball in the first inning, and with them it's all mental. When they can relax, they realize they can get hits and it all comes easier," said Lone Peak coach Jena Lowry. "I was especially happy with (Sears). She connected well with two triples."
Timpview stranded seven runners in the game, but Peterson only yielded two hits, and the Knights didn't commit a single error. They did test the Thunderbirds battery with steal after steal and were only caught once.
"We're lucky to have speed. We've got quite a few girls who can run," said Lowry.
The Knights put together another score in the bottom of the third on an Alicia Trujillo walk and Sears' second triple, this one to deep center.
They picked up the 10th and final score after Trujillo doubled to left center to bring home Stonehocker. The 10-run rule kicked in and the game was over.