The first step in repeating as conference champions, the Lady Billies would share the conference title a season ago in a three way tie, is to win the first conference game of the season.
The Monticello Lady Billies set out to accomplish that first step on Tuesday, March 7, traveling to Warren to face the Lady Lumberjacks in the first contest in the 8-4A.
The Lady Billies would open the conference season with a dominating statement. a 13 run shutout in seven innings, and a no-hitter to top it off.
Kate Morgan would lead off for the Lady Billies, reaching first on an error.
Meygan Bivens would draw a walk followed by a walk to Alaina Lykle to load the bases.
Audrey Howard would hit a pop fly but reached on an error, scoring Morgan.
After recording the first out of the inning, Monticello would add another run on a fielder’s choice hit by Addi Frazer that scored Lyle to give the Lady Billies a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Lyle would enter the circle to strike out the side in order to end the inning.
After a three consecutive out inning by Monticello, Lyle would strike out the side once more in consecutive at bats to end the second inning.
Monticello would add three more runs in the top of the third inning,
Bivens would lead things off with a single followed by a walk to Lyle.
Howard would single to score Bivens for a 3-0 lead.
Kiley Lane would ground out, but would score courtesy runner Kynslee Baker.
Frazer would ground out to score Howard to increase the Lady Billie lead to 5-0.
Lyle would strike out the side for the third consecutive inning.
After a scoreless inning for the Lady Billies in the top of the fourth, Lyle would remain perfect in the bottom half of the inning, striking out the side for the fourth time.
Another two runs for Monticello in the top of the fifth inning after scores by Baker and Skylar Burns gave Monticello a 7-0 lead.
Lyle would strike out the first two Warren batters in the bottom of the fifth with the third batter grounding out to first base.
A scoreless inning for Monticello in the top of the sixth inning.
Lyle would walk the lead off batter to start the bottom of the sixth, but would strike out the next three batters to get out of the inning.
Monticello would extend the lead to the final score of 13-0 in the top of the seventh inning getting scores from Frazer, Stanley, Anna Morgan, Kate Morgan, Ashlynn Snow, and Lyle.
Lyle would close the contest recording the last three outs in consecutive order.
Lyle was almost perfect in her conference outing, pitching seven innings allowing no runs on no hits, striking out 19 with the only blemish on her performance on the day was a walk for the only Warren baserunner of the day.
Anna Morgan would go 2 for 3 to lead the Lady Billies, hitting two doubles scoring a run and with an RBI.
Lyle would finish at the plate 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI, Aubrey Howard was 2 for 5 with a run and 2 RBI, Bivens finished 1 for 4 with a run and an RBI, Kate Morgan finished 1 for 5 with 2 runs, Addi Frazer was 1 for 3 with a run and 2 RBI, Madeline Stanley was 1 for 4 with a run and an RBI.
Kiley Lane and Anna Weeks each had an RBI.
The Lady Billies will return to the field on Thursday, March 9, traveling to Star City for their second conference contest of the season, facing the Lady Bulldogs at 5 PM.
