Lady Cardinals trying to stay consistent
MARTIN COUCH Sports editor

KEVIN NAGLE PHOTOS LADY CARDS Harmony Grove's Lauren McNeely throws to first, above. Below, pitcher Tiffani Houpt makes a play.

The Harmony Grove Lady Cardinals are frustrating head coach Sammi Massey after losing a two-game set with Horatio and Dierks at Henderson State University.

"We didn't play well, but we wanted to get some games in," Massey said. "I thought it'd be cool to let them play at Henderson State."

The Lady Cardinals walked 12 Horatio batters, gave up eight hits and made five errors in a 12-1 loss. Lauren McNeely accounted for the only Harmony Grove run when she doubled and scored on a single from Miranda McSpadden. The Lady Cardinals had four hits in the game.

In the second game, the Lady Cardinals walked seven batters and allowed four hits. Tiffani Houpt struck out six batters and Kaylee Allen came in to strike out one and allow no hits in the final two innings against Dierks. Allen was the losing pitcher against Horatio.

"We didn't hit or play good defense," Massey said. "We did better in the second game, but it still wasn't enough."

The Lady Cardinals scored a run in the first inning when Mallory Cabe reached on an error, moved over on a Brooke Baxley bunt and scored on a wild pitch. The second Harmony Grove run came in the fifth inning when Lauren Martin singled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Baxley.

The Lady Cardinals had only four hits in the game.

"We show up sometimes, and we don't show up sometimes,"

Massey said. "Freshman pitchers make me stress. I'm a pitcher and I don't understand how you can pitch so bad, then come back and do a good job. It's frustrating that we won't show up to play."

The Lady Cardinals are 6-9 overall and 2-1 in the conference after losing a 5-4 decision at Conway St. Joseph's.