The Westlake Lady Rams started off the 2010 season with a 4-1 win over the Kaplan Lady Pirates on Monday in Westlake.
The Lady Rams (1-0) junior pitcher Maggie Bradshaw returned to the circle from an off-season knee surgery and held the Lady Pirates scoreless until the sixth inning. Bradshaw (1-0) finished with 11 strikeouts while giving up only two hits and an unearned run.
"It's very good since she is coming back from knee surgery," said Westlake head coach Jessica Provost. "She's been working really hard and she brought it today."
After Bradshaw started off the game with three straight strikeouts, the Westlake bats went to work quickly in the first. Kasha Carpenter started things off by beating out a throw to first and Anna Jagneaux drilled the ball to left to set up runners at second and third for catcher Chelsea Evans. Evans brought home Carpenter on a single to right to give the Lady Rams a 1-0 lead after the first inning.
The Lady Rams added another run in the second inning when Carpenter roped a double to left to score Kaily Glover for a 2-0 Westlake lead.
Carpenter went 4-for-4 for Westlake with an RBI to lead the Lady Rams at the plate.
"She's decided to start working really hard on her hitting and you can tell," Provost said. "She's definitely stepped it up."
Westlake struck again in the fourth inning after Jordan Buller reached base on a double to left field fence and a Bradshaw infield single. Both runners advanced after Kaplan's Mal Hebert was unable to catch an infield fly from Emily Seabaugh. Glover brought home Buller and courtesy runner Jase Johnson after an errant throw from the Lady Pirates to give the Lady Rams a 4-0 lead after five innings.
Kaplan's only run came in the sixth inning when Tootie Vallery scored on an error by the Lady Rams.
Cora Abshire led the Lady Pirates at the plate with a 2-for-2 effort. Brit LeBeouf picked up the loss for Kaplan pitching four innings and giving up four runs on seven hits.
Westlake returns to action on Thursday when they host the Sam Houston Lady Broncos at 4:30 p.m.
