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Lake Land powers its way to four softball wins

GALLATIN, Tenn. – Kristi Belshe is learning she doesn’t mind being first.

“I’ve never really been a leadoff hitter because I’m a power hitter,” said Lake Land’s softball sophomore outfielder from Hawaii. “It’s different. I have to be more patient. It’s been paying off well lately.”The dividends were that Belshe went 8-for-12 from her leadoff spot including a home run helping the Lakers to a four-game weekend sweep in its softball trip to Tennessee.Three Lake Land players homered while Kayla Kirkpatrick pitched an 8-4 win over Columbia, Tenn., and then the Lakers hit four homers as Alex Smith pitched a 9-2 win in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader.On Sunday Kirkpatrich pitched a five-inning three-hitter for an 8-0 mercy rule win over Volunteer State and then Smith threw a five-hitter in a 6-2 win that completed the sweep.Katie Watson hit a home run in each of Saturday’s games.“I’m not really looking for home run,” the freshman from Louisville, Ky., said. “Coach said he is just looking for line drives. It was a wind-blown situation.“We’re starting to play well. It’s looking good for us right now.”Lake Land is 6-2.“The hitting went really well,” coach Nic Nelson said. “We’re not going to be a bunting team this year but we’re hitting the ball and getting on base.”A scheduled home opener on Wednesday has been canceled so Lake Land’s next action is to be Friday in a doubleheader at defending national champion Chattanooga.

Saturday’s first game

Lake Land AB R H BI

Belshe, lf 3 2 3 2

Keller, 2b 3 1 2 1

Patterson, 3b 3 0 1 0

Bishop, c 2 0 0 0

Hart, c 2 0 0 0

Steer, cf 4 1 2 1

Touchette, rf 3 0 0 0

Mansur, pr 0 0 0 0

Woods, 1b 3 0 0 0

Nissen, dp 3 2 1 0

Watson, ss 3 2 2 2

Totals 29 8 11 6

2B – Keller, Patterson. HR – Belshe, Steer, Watson.

Lake Land 002 021 3 -- 8-11-1

Columbia 003 000 1 -- 4-6-1

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO

Kirkpatrick 7 6 4 1 2 4

Saturday’s second game

Lake Land AB R H BI

Belshe, lf 3 1 1 0

Keller, 2b 1 0 0 0

Bishop, 2b 1 0 0 0

Kirkpatrick, ph 0 1 0 0

Steer, cf 3 2 1 1

Patterson, 3b 4 1 2 1

Woods, dp 4 2 4 2

Nissen, 1b 4 0 0 0

Tochette, rf 2 0 0 0

Masur, rf 2 0 0 0

Hart, c 4 1 2 0

Watson, ss 4 2 1 2

Totals 32 9 12 6

HR – Steer, Patterson, Woods, Watson.

Lake Land 120 006 0 - 9-12-1

Columbia 011 000 0 -- 2-6-4

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO

Smith (2-1) 7 6 2 1 2 4

Sunday’s first game

Lake Land AB R H BI

Belshe, cf 2 2 2 0

Keller, 2b 2 1 1 0

Patterson, 3b 2 0 0 1

Woods, 3b 3 1 2 2

Hart, c 2 2 2 1

Bishop, rf 3 1 1 0

Touchette, lf 2 1 1 3

Nissen, dp 3 0 1 0

Watson, ss 2 0 0 0

Masur, ph 1 0 0 0

Totals 22 8 10 7

2B – Touchette. SB – Nissen. S – Keller, Paterson, Touchette.

Lake Land 502 10 - 8-10-1

Volunteer State 000 00 – 0-3-1

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO

Kirkpatrick (3-1) 5 3 0 0 2 3

Sunday’s second game

Lake Land AB R H BI

Belshe, cf 4 2 2 0

Keller, 2b 4 2 1 0

Patterson, 3b 4 0 0 1

Woods, 1b 3 0 1 2

Hart, c 2 0 1 2

Bishop, pr 0 0 0 0

Steer, dp 3 1 1 0

Touchette, lf 3 0 1 0

Nissen, rf 2 1 1 0

Watson, ss 2 0 0 0

Totals 27 6 7 5

S – Hart, Watson.

Lake Land 210 000 3 -- 6-7-2

Volunteer State 001 000 1 - 2-5-0

Pitching IP H R ER BB SO

Smith (3-0) 7 5 2 2 3 7

Lake Land powers its way to four softball wins

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