Lee-Davis freshman second baseman Ryleigh Hawker got a triple-dose of birthday rewards on Friday night when her No. 1 Confederates hosted No. 10 Hanover in a Capital District softball rivalry. Hawker came out of hitting slump, belted a triple and the C-feds took the win 9-0 in one of their best performances of the season.
  “I got a triple, that’s my birthday present,” Hawker said.

  This season Hawker is the only new starter for a Lee-Davis squad that was a state runner-up last year and she feels she is fitting into the lineup well. “It’s been great,” the freshman said. “I look up to everybody and we’re all a big family.”

  But Hawker was only one piece in a Lee-Davis winning effort as the Confederates (15-0, 8-0 Capital) notched a quartet of triples and shut down the offense on a Hawks team that came into the contest on a roll.

  After getting off to a disappointing 2-3 start on the season, Hanover (9-4, 4-3) overcame turmoil and gelled as a team to win seven straight coming into Lee-Davis.

  But Hawks head coach Chris Pace knew the level of competition would take a significant leap in facing the C-feds. “They’re the best team in the region for a reason,” he said. “They’re a state contender. But I’m really proud of our kids because it’s tough to take a whipping like that. We didn’t hang our heads.”

  Though the Hawks have been good at generating offense, such was not the case facing C-fed junior pitcher Kelly Heinz, who continues to impress Pace. After surrendering a lead-off single, Heinz limited the Hawks to one hit over the remainder of the contest while striking out 14 batters.

  “I’ve been privileged to watch a lot of great players being coach for Hanover, whether they play for Atlee, PH or whatever.” Pace said of Heinz. “Let me tell you something, #17 is one of the finest I’ve ever seen, period.”

  To make matters worse, the Hawks faced a Confederate team that is once again peaking as the season winds down.

  “I think this is probably our second best game of the season,” said head coach Jackie Davis. “This is the way I hope we played the rest of the season.”

  It appeared Hanover would get off to good start when lead off batter Erica Barrett took advantage of a 3-1 pitch from Heinz to single past short. But the Hawks could not get her home.

  Hanover got its only other hit in the second when Shannon Albright dropped a single in short right.

  In the bottom of the first, Lee-Davis lead off batter Haleigh Cottrell took the first pitch from Hanover’s Megan Tripp and sent it to the centerfield fence for a triple. Cottrell, who leads the team in RBIs, then came home on a one out single from Casey Price.

  The Confederates then broke the game open in the bottom of the second.

  Hawker led off with a triple to right and scored on a gapper from Taylor Melton.

  Pace, who uses a regular rotation of pitchers, went with Albright after Lee-Davis put two runners on. Albright got a force out of Melton at third but a single to center from Lacie Madison scored Charyssa Parent, who was back in the lineup for the her second full game.

  Parent was expected to miss the remainder of the season after suffering what appeared to be a devastating knee injury. But instead she was diagnosed with an MCL sprain and battled to get back in the lineup.

  “We came back and we were thankful it was just a sprained MCL,” Davis said. “She’s so conscientious. She worked hard and rehabbed it like she was supposed to and physical therapy like she was supposed to.”

  Cottrell gave Lee-Davis a 4-0 lead when a pick-off throw to second went high then Madison scored on a wild pitch to make the margin 5-0.

  Lee-Davis tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth when Madison once again scored on a wild pitch and Price came home on a triple from Heinz.

  In the bottom of the sixth, Parent led off with the C-feds fourth triple of the night then came home on a single from Cottrell. Madison reached on a single then made the lead 9-0, by scoring for the third time of the night on a wild pitch.

  Though saddled with their first loss in weeks, Pace was pleased with the effort of his Hawks. “We didn’t play our best tonight undoubtedly,” he said. “We made more errors tonight than in probably the past three games put together. Then at the same time, they’re really, really good.”

  On Wednesday, Lee-Davis will host No. 3 Patrick Henry in what is one of the region’s most anticipated games of the year.

Lee-Davis 9, Hanover 0
Hanover…......... 000 000 0 — 0   2 3
Lee-Davis…...... 140 202 x — 9 12 0
Tripp, Albright (2) and Long; Heinz and Cottrell. W- Heinz, L — Tripp.
Highlights: Shannon Albright (H) 1 for 2; Kelly Heinz (LD) 3 for 4, 3B, RBI, 14 K’s; Casey Price (LD) 2 for 3, 2 RBIs; Haleigh Cottrell (LD) 2 for 4, 3B, RBI.
Records: Hanover 9-4, 4-3 Capital; Lee-Davis 15-0, 8-0