By DAVID FOLSE II
Slidell sports writer
COVINGTON—It may have taken a couple of innings, but #5 Archbishop Hannan got on track in a hurry in their first-round playoff game on Monday night.
Sophomore right-fielder Sydney Williams picked up three hits and drove in a pair of runs as fifth-seeded Hannan defeated #29 Lakeside 10-0 in the bi-district round of the Class 2A LHSAA State Playoffs.
The game was called in the fifth inning due to the ten-run mercy rule.
“It took us a couple of times through the lineup but once we got the opposing pitcher’s timing down we were all able to really get some good swings in,” Williams said. “I have to give a lot credit to my teammates and the coaching staff for really getting me ready for this game. The intensity level in the dugout has really increased now that it is playoff time.”
The Hawks were able to push across three unearned runs in their first at-bat. Lindsey Osbon led off the game with a walk and with one out Jensen Volz drew a walk. Kennedy Martin would reach on an error scoring Osbon and on the same play a throwing error scored courtesy runner Kaitlin Wendt.
Williams’ scored Martin with her first hit of the game to make it 3-0.
“It definitely took us some time to figure out which pitch to swing out,” Osbon said. “We just had to settle down and find the pitches we wanted. Once we started swinging well it got contagious. Sydney had some big hits, Shaye Tredinich had a big hit and Caitlin Collins had a big hit as well.”
Up 5-0 headed to the bottom of the fifth, the Hawks put the game away with five runs.
With one out Tredinich and Martin had back-to-back doubles. Williams’ third hit the game made it 7-0 and Collins scored Williams with an RBI double to make it 8-0. An RBI groundout by Lauren Wegener and a Lakeside error on a pop-fly helped Hannan end the game in five innings.
While the Hawk bats pounded out nine hits in the win, Volz was nearly as impressive in the circle.
The junior right-hander picked up the win, scattering three hits in five innings of work, striking out two and not walking a batter.
“We stuck to the game plan at the plate and in the circle,” she said. “My job was to throw strikes and just let my fielders due the work. Make them (Lakeside) put the ball in play and allow my teammates behind me to make the plays defensively. Credit them for getting the job done tonight.”
Hannan (24-6) advances to take on #13 Kinder in the regional round at home.
“We are really excited to just to get to play at home again,” Osbon said. “This is a team that is focused and knows what they want to do and knows what has to be done to accomplish our goal.”
Meanwhile things didn’t go as well for the Northlake Christian Wolverines. On the road against #9 Springfield, #24 Northlake Christian fell to the Bulldogs 16-6 in a game called in the sixth inning due to the ten-run mercy rule.