By Rob Potter
HANCOCK — May 10, 2002 – The Family School softball team certainly had its bats working Tuesday afternoon.
The Lady Falcons pounded out eight hits in the first two innings of their OCIAA Division V game against visiting Roscoe. Those eight hits led to seven runs, as the Family School took a 7-2 lead after two innings of play.
Unfortunately for Roscoe (1-10, 0-8 Division V), the Lady Falcons kept hitting the rest of the game.
As a result, the Family School (4-5, 3-3 Division V) recorded a 17-3 win.
In the bottom of the first, the Family School opened a lead when Dee Gill scored on a stand-up triple by Lori McLeod. McLeod then scored on a groundout by Lauren Blythe.
Later in the frame, the Lady Falcons made it 3-0 when an RBI single by Annelle Grice allowed Karen Brant to cross the plate.
Roscoe responded in the top of the second, however. Amber Gray singled to lead off the frame. She scored when the next batter, Amy Argent, hit a pop-up to the outfield that fell among a trio of Family School fielders. Argent, who kept running around the bases as Gray crossed home plate, also scored thanks to an errant throw to the plate.
But the 3-2 deficit was as close as the Lady Blue Devils would get in the contest.
In the bottom of the second, McLeod smashed a two-RBI double and Blythe followed with a triple to score McLeod and make it a 6-2 game. Blythe scored later in the inning to boost the Lady Falcons’ lead to 7-2.
The Family School added four runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth.
Gill had three hits and scored four runs for the Lady Falcons, while McLeod was 4-for-5 with four RBI.
“I’m happy with the way the girls are playing,” Family School Coach Mike Losicco said. “We still have a problem with errors. But overall, I’m happy with their play. We’re playing together as a team.”
Since the Lady Falcons had a winless season last spring, Losicco noted that this season has been a big improvement.
He also had praise for Roscoe.
“That team just does not quit,” Losicco said. “They came out ready to play.”
Although the outcome was another disappointing loss, Roscoe Coach Becky Ahart noted that it was an improvement compared to the first meeting of the season between the teams. The Family School defeated Roscoe by a 26-0 margin last month.
“I think we’re improving each game and working together,” Ahart said. “Today, I think we did a better job of at least hitting the ball, which has been a problem all season.”