The Holden High School softball girls’ first foray into Fall Softball was against the powerful Pleasant Hill Lady Chicks who defeated the Lady Eagles by a score of 15-0 in five innings.

“With the switch from spring to fall ball, the level of competition will also change,” explained head Holden softball coach Allison Corwin.  “Pleasant Hill is a great team both offensively and defensively, but errors made the spread what it was.  We’re going to have to adjust and step it up to succeed at this level.”

Starting on the mound for Holden was sophomore Karley Kilgore who pitched three innings and gave up four runs.  She didn’t walk anybody and struck out two.  Freshman Alisha Burks came in to relieve Kilgore who had developed some shoulder pain and finished the game with one strikeout, no walks and allowing 12 hits.

“Defensively we missed several throws and I feel it carried over into our batting,” Coach Corwin added.  The only hit the Lady Eagles could muster was a single by junior Kelci Moore.  Freshman Selena Gochenour and senior Katey Jennings each drew walks.  “Our hitting was weak,” the coach continued.  “The girls have to go back to the fundamentals they use in practice every day and carry them over into games.  Nerves cannot change their basic form.”

Defensively, senior Rebecca Fisher made a “nice catch” in center field to make the second out of the first inning and followed it up with another catch in the third.  Kilgore made several good plays at the mound to throw out runners at first and third-baseman Gochenour snagged a ball at third to throw out the runner at first.  Both juniors Faith Eissler  and Dani Jo riley made catches in the outfield at well.

“Pleasant Hill was a tough game for us,” the coach continued.  “Now we can put it aside, move on and improve in areas of the game.”

After playing Tuesday night at home against conference foe Knob Noster, the girls will be in Lexington tonight (Thursday) for a game against the Lady Minutemen.