Freshman gives Lafayette Jeff Varsity Softball Team A big lift against No. 1 Frontier

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Kaitlynn Moody didn't expect to pitch much for Lafayette Jeff's softball team this season but when the Bronchos got in a jam Friday, they called on the freshman.

Moody took the ball with her team trailing 4-2 in the fourth inning and a runner in scoring position. Over the next 32/3 innings, she allowed just one Frontier player to reach base and the Bronchos supplied enough offense in a 6-4 home victory over the Class A No. 1 Falcons.

"Today, since it was kind of cold, I was thinking spinning the ball and make it move throughout the zone," said Moody, drenched after playing in the rain for two hours.

Moody (3-3), who also hit a two-run homer in the third inning, was dominant in the circle.

She struck out seven, including four straight at one point. In the fifth, Moody struck out the side on nine pitches.

"We came in overconfident on her," said Frontier junior Kattie Lee, who singled off Moody in the sixth. "We hit the first pitcher pretty well, but I guess we weren't prepared to hit a faster pitcher."

Lee reached base in all four plate appearances, stole three bases and scored two runs.

Her RBI triple in the top of the fourth scored Shelby Rawles and started a three-run inning against Jeff starter Ashtin Baumgardt. Lee scored on a passed ball in the third, and Catie Neary scored on Savanna Gaumer's double. Neary also doubled in Lee in the top of the first.

"Kattie just really had an excellent game tonight," Frontier coach Sharon Wright said. "She really helps with our younger pitchers and helps to settle them down. She helped to set the tone in the first inning, and it just wasn't enough for us."

Trailing 1-0, Moody stepped in the batter's box with two outs in the third and Connor Garrity on second base. Moody ripped a pitch down the right field line, but it was foul.

Moody knew if another pitch came over the plate, she had a chance to hit her second home run of the week. Moody hit her first career homer in a win over Central Catholic on Monday.

The next pitch, she hit over the center field fence.

"I was really upset that (the foul ball) didn't go over and it didn't stay fair, but I knew if she was going to hang one on 3-2, it was possibly going to be out," Moody said.

Once Moody retired the last two batters of the fourth, the Bronchos responded to Frontier's three-run inning with one of their own.

An RBI single by Cassie Jenkins, a bases-loaded walk by Zoee Anderson and a Frontier error led to three runs, putting the Bronchos back ahead 5-4. Jenni Graham singled and scored an insurance run in the fifth.

Jenkins and Moody each had two hits for the Bronchos (6-5) while Lee was 2-for-4 for the Falcons (9-4), who lost for the third time in four games.