“We really struggled quite a bit trying to get ourselves back on track,” Tecumseh coach Christi Leggett said. “We worked really hard over the past week in practice, and it showed today with everything that the girls did.”
Tecumseh didn’t get a hit in the first two innings, but home runs by Anna Dewitt and McKenzie Drews in the third helped the Arrows mount a 5-0 lead. Beavercreek got three runs in the fourth after a couple hits and a few errors, but Tecumseh added two in the bottom half of the inning to take a 7-3 lead.
Beavercreek took out starting pitcher Cierra Chastain after the fourth and put in Olivia Knight, but the Arrows continued to hit. Dewitt added a two-RBI double in the fifth inning, and Drews smacked a solo home run over the right field fence in the sixth.
Drews, who had three home runs in regular season, said it was the first time she has hit two home runs in a game.
“All week in practice I’d been working on hitting and not dropping my hands when I swing,” Drews said. “I’ve been in a rut, and I feel today is a confidence booster and really got me out of it.”
Tecumseh will try to keep the hitting going on Wednesday against the Trojans (15-10), who have won their last seven games. The Arrows beat Troy 5-4 at home in a nonconference game on April 21.
“We played really tough on defense and had a lot of clutch hits (in the first game), so I just hope we can do that again,” Drews said.
Tecumseh had three errors in Monday’s game, and Leggett said those mistakes can’t be repeated against Troy.
“It was good for us to get back hitting today, but we cannot be making mistakes and bobbling it around,” Leggett said.
Beavercreek had several fielding errors on Monday, which coach Paul Martin said has been a problem all season. The Beavers (11-14) will play two makeup Greater Western Ohio Conference games at home this week, first against Miamisburg on Tuesday and then against Springboro on Thursday.
“The goal is always to win, but it’s also to improve now, as we look to replace some positions of seniors that we’ll lose,” Martin said. “We’ve got to play better defense.”
About the Author