South Forsyth made the most of its second chances against Lambert.

Following a brief lightning delay, a second attempt to get Thursday’s game in the books proved successful, as the War Eagles used a big second inning to overpower the Longhorns 9-1 on the South campus.

“One thing we really talk about this year is rhythm,” South coach Ronnie Davis said. “Sometimes last year it would take us ... all the way through the lineup before we were able to personally see [the pitcher’s rhythm] in the box.

“This year I think we’re making adjustments a little earlier in the game and hopefully it will pay off.”

Although the game was something of a homecoming for several Longhorns who played at South (2-0 Region 7-AAAA) before the opening of Lambert (0-2) last year, Davis said it was important for his players to not become distracted by any reunion or rivalry aspects.

“We’re here for a reason and that’s to compete and win a ball game,” the coach said. “I think our girls did a pretty good job of ... just staying level-headed and not being caught up in [anything else.]”

The teams made it through just five minutes of gameplay in the top of the first inning before lightning halted the contest for 37 minutes.

Once the action resumed, War Eagles pitcher Alexa Ditmar (4IP, 1H, 4BB, 5K, R) needed only a single pitch to finish off a strikeout of Tonia Soto and end the inning.

South’s bats came alive in the bottom of the second, posting a 2-0 lead when Ditmar (1-for-2), Ashley Bland (1-for-1, RBI, 2R) and Allie Baccari (1-for-2, RBI, 2R) led off with three consecutive doubles off Lambert pitcher Kassie Howard (1 2/3IP, 6H, 5R, K). 

Rachel Myers later reached base on an infield single and stole second to put two runners in scoring position, setting the table for a two-out RBI single by Meghan Rud. Myers and Rud then came around to score when Allison White (1-for-3, 2RBI) followed with a double to deep left-center, boosting the War Eagles’ cushion to 5-0.

Lambert responded in the top of the third, when Amanda Maxfield singled after Jenny Bartow drew a two-out walk.
The runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, and Bartow later came home on a balk by Ditmar. Maddie Higgenbotham walked to put runners at the corners, but Ditmar got out of the jam with a strikeout, ending Lambert’s only real threat from the plate.

South erased any lingering comeback hopes the Longhorns might have had by scoring four more runs in the bottom of the frame — without even hitting the ball out of the infield.

After Ditmar walked and Bland was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, Baccari attempted a sacrifice bunt that allowed pinch runner Sarah Garza to score when the ball sailed into foul territory on an attempted fielder’s choice at third base.

South tacked on two more runs in similar fashion, as the Longhorns failed to throw out the runner at the plate on both Myers’ grounder back to the pitcher and Danielle Faye’s squeeze bunt. Myers scored South’s final run when Rud hit into a fielder’s choice.

Kaylyn Young relieved Ditmar in the top of the fifth and recorded the final three outs of the game, which was shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

Though the outcome was lopsided this time out, both head coaches seemed to envision the Lambert-South matchups being more closely contested down the road.

“We’re a second year school ... still finding our place [and] trying to make our own traditions right now,” Lambert coach Dana Corr said. “We’re a young team, and I have high hopes for the future.”

“They’ve got some talented players over there,” Davis said. “They’re going to be right in the mix of it in the future, no doubt about it.” 

Both teams head further into the thick of region play this week, as the Longhorns travel to Forsyth Central Tuesday for a 5 p.m. meeting with the Bulldogs, while the War Eagles travel to Chattahoochee to face the Cougars at 5:55 p.m.

“We’ve got two big ball games next week,” Davis said. “We got to get on them and win them.”