Kewpies break out the bats

Days after learning it would be playing Rock Bridge in the opening round of the district softball tournament Oct. 7, the Hickman softball team defeated the Bruins 13-7 Friday at Cosmopolitan Park in a primer for next week's showdown.

Jennifer Bieberly went 2-3 with 5 RBIs to lead a Hickman offense that produced its biggest scoring output of the season.

After four lead changes in the first two innings, the Kewpies (6-15) put the game out of reach in the fifth. With the bases loaded and Hickman leading 9-5, senior Lindsey Rock reached base on an error, scoring a run. Two batters later, junior Stefani Worley doubled to centerfield, scoring two runs and making the score 13-5.

"You always have to be happy with a win," Hickman coach Courtney Haskell said. "Rock Bridge is a solid team. Our bats just broke out tonight."

Freshman Cassie Johanningmeier started the game for Hickman in place of the injured Worley. She allowed seven runs in six innings to earn the win.

With the district tournament looming less than a week away, the Kewpies are putting together their best stretch of softball. They have won four of their last five, and in that span have outscored opponents 40-23. The 40 runs is the same number the team scored in its first 16 games combined.

When asked what has sparked the sudden scoring surge, Haskell was speechless.

"You got me," she said. "I think maybe they stopped putting too much pressure on themselves. They started having fun. That's the only thing I can guess."

Junior Kendall Brown went 3-3 with a walk and an RBI for the Bruins (6-15).