Hillsboro, Spruell perfect in FAC undefeated championship victory
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — Everything was absolutely perfect for the Hillsboro Lady Indians softball team on Thursday night. For starters, they clinched a perfect Frontier Athletic Conference championship, then they finished with 16 hits at the plate, were perfect on defense and in the circle Cam Spruell threw a perfect game, as HHS defeated the Washington Lady Blue Lions, 10-0 in six innings.
As for Spruell, the freshman finished with no hits, no runs, no walks — along with 16 strikeouts — allowed in six innings in the circle for the perfect game, as the Lady Indians’ defense was errorless. Spruell threw a total of 88 pitches, 59 for strikes.
Spruell was also perfect at the plate with the freshman going 4-for-4 with three runs and five RBI, including two doubles and one home run. She finished the game with nine total bases.
“I loved it. It was a really good day,” Spruell told The Highland County Press following the game. “I loved doing this with my team, and it was just fun.
“It feels good (to pitch a perfect game to win a conference championship). I didn’t know I was throwing a perfect game when I was pitching, which made it better because I didn’t think about it. I just want to say I love my team, and they helped me get through it.”
Hillsboro’s win at Alice Cassner Field gave Hillsboro a 10-0 record in conference play, plus they improved to a final regular-season record of 15-4, as this was the program’s 15th conference championship and their second overall FAC crown. The first 13 Hillsboro softball conference championships came from 1985-2002.
In FAC play this season, Hillsboro outscored their opponents, 104-18, including their final eight conference games where they allowed seven runs including three shutouts, three one-run games and two two-run games.
“It has been a great year,” HHS head coach Gary Breeden said. “I’ve been with the program for a long time, and knowing the girls the way I do, they made the transition easy (on being the head coach this season), and Coach Moberly did a fantastic job (building the program), but the girls made it easy, they knew what was expected and they’ve lived up to those expectations."
Also during Thursday’s win the Lady Indians collected 16 hits, which started in a huge way during the first inning as Spruell — who not only had the perfect game in the circle — but smashed a towering two-out home run over the centerfield fence for the early 1-0 lead.
“We’ve been seeing the ball really well the past two weeks from the top to bottom of the lineup, and the kids take extreme pride in how we are putting the ball in play the way we are,” Breeden said.
The bottom of the third was the next big inning for Hillsboro as Halle Reveal hit a lead-off single to right field, but was out advancing to second base. That play was followed with a base hit to centerfield by Kinsey Gilliland.
Gilliland scored after stealing second base when Spruell hit a single to right field for the RBI. Gracey Dearmon also had a hit in the inning.
Hillsboro started to break away from the visiting Lady Blue Lions in the bottom of the fourth inning when Eowyn Taylor led off the inning with a base hit to right field, and that was followed with a single off the bat of Kenzie Dietrick. The bases were loaded with a walk by Isabelle Brunck, as Mylea Friedley came in as a pinch runner.
Taylor scored off a Reveal single to left field, but an out occurred on the bases with a force out of Friedley at third base. On that same sequence, Taylor scored a run. Next was a triple by Gilliland to centerfield for two runs crossing the plate, with Brunck and Reveal rounding the bases.
Spruell continued her strong game with a double to centerfield, scoring Gilliland, leaving HHS ahead by a 7-0 score.
In the bottom of the sixth, HHS ended the game with three runs, as Brunck singled to start the inning, and after an out was recorded, Gilliland hit a single to the Washington shortstop, taking first base on an error, with Brunck moving to third base. Spruell added another double to her total with two more RBI as Brunck and Gilliland each scored runs.
The final run of the game to seal the run-rule victory, along with the perfect game and perfect FAC season, was a Dearmon single to score Spruell.
More performances at the plate for HHS included Gilliland being 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI and Reveal going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Dearmon was 3-for-4 with one RBI, and Brown finished 1-for-2 with one run and a walk. Taylor finished 1-for-2 with one run, and Dietrick was 1-for-3, while Brunck went 1-for-2 with two runs and one walk. Steals were credited to Brunck and Gilliland.
Back to the pitching performance of Spruell, she didn’t have an out leave the infield, with all but two outs being strikeouts. Washington had a bunt for an out to start the game, and then after 12 consecutive strikeouts, Washington called for another bunt with an out in the top of the fifth, but it also resulted in an out.
Spruell finished with 13 strikeouts swinging and three called strike threes, including the final out of the game. In all, four of her six innings pitched saw three strikeouts in each inning.
“Cam’s been throwing well all year and tonight was a cumulation of her hard work, and not just during the season, but in the offseason,” Breeden said. “Also with everybody who supported her offensively and defensively, we had no errors, and that’s huge. Everybody has a part in a perfect game, and they did their part.”
Next for Hillsboro will be a tournament game in Division II as they will host a sectional semifinal game on Monday, May 9 at home against conference foe, the Jackson Ironladies at 5 p.m.
“It has been a great season, but now the season is over with, and now it is time to survive and advance as far as we can,” Breeden said.
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As for Spruell, the freshman finished with no hits, no runs, no walks — along with 16 strikeouts — allowed in six innings in the circle for the perfect game, as the Lady Indians’ defense was errorless. Spruell threw a total of 88 pitches, 59 for strikes.
Spruell was also perfect at the plate with the freshman going 4-for-4 with three runs and five RBI, including two doubles and one home run. She finished the game with nine total bases.
“I loved it. It was a really good day,” Spruell told The Highland County Press following the game. “I loved doing this with my team, and it was just fun.
“It feels good (to pitch a perfect game to win a conference championship). I didn’t know I was throwing a perfect game when I was pitching, which made it better because I didn’t think about it. I just want to say I love my team, and they helped me get through it.”
Hillsboro’s win at Alice Cassner Field gave Hillsboro a 10-0 record in conference play, plus they improved to a final regular-season record of 15-4, as this was the program’s 15th conference championship and their second overall FAC crown. The first 13 Hillsboro softball conference championships came from 1985-2002.
In FAC play this season, Hillsboro outscored their opponents, 104-18, including their final eight conference games where they allowed seven runs including three shutouts, three one-run games and two two-run games.
“It has been a great year,” HHS head coach Gary Breeden said. “I’ve been with the program for a long time, and knowing the girls the way I do, they made the transition easy (on being the head coach this season), and Coach Moberly did a fantastic job (building the program), but the girls made it easy, they knew what was expected and they’ve lived up to those expectations."
Also during Thursday’s win the Lady Indians collected 16 hits, which started in a huge way during the first inning as Spruell — who not only had the perfect game in the circle — but smashed a towering two-out home run over the centerfield fence for the early 1-0 lead.
“We’ve been seeing the ball really well the past two weeks from the top to bottom of the lineup, and the kids take extreme pride in how we are putting the ball in play the way we are,” Breeden said.
The bottom of the third was the next big inning for Hillsboro as Halle Reveal hit a lead-off single to right field, but was out advancing to second base. That play was followed with a base hit to centerfield by Kinsey Gilliland.
Gilliland scored after stealing second base when Spruell hit a single to right field for the RBI. Gracey Dearmon also had a hit in the inning.
Hillsboro started to break away from the visiting Lady Blue Lions in the bottom of the fourth inning when Eowyn Taylor led off the inning with a base hit to right field, and that was followed with a single off the bat of Kenzie Dietrick. The bases were loaded with a walk by Isabelle Brunck, as Mylea Friedley came in as a pinch runner.
Taylor scored off a Reveal single to left field, but an out occurred on the bases with a force out of Friedley at third base. On that same sequence, Taylor scored a run. Next was a triple by Gilliland to centerfield for two runs crossing the plate, with Brunck and Reveal rounding the bases.
Spruell continued her strong game with a double to centerfield, scoring Gilliland, leaving HHS ahead by a 7-0 score.
In the bottom of the sixth, HHS ended the game with three runs, as Brunck singled to start the inning, and after an out was recorded, Gilliland hit a single to the Washington shortstop, taking first base on an error, with Brunck moving to third base. Spruell added another double to her total with two more RBI as Brunck and Gilliland each scored runs.
The final run of the game to seal the run-rule victory, along with the perfect game and perfect FAC season, was a Dearmon single to score Spruell.
More performances at the plate for HHS included Gilliland being 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI and Reveal going 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Dearmon was 3-for-4 with one RBI, and Brown finished 1-for-2 with one run and a walk. Taylor finished 1-for-2 with one run, and Dietrick was 1-for-3, while Brunck went 1-for-2 with two runs and one walk. Steals were credited to Brunck and Gilliland.
Back to the pitching performance of Spruell, she didn’t have an out leave the infield, with all but two outs being strikeouts. Washington had a bunt for an out to start the game, and then after 12 consecutive strikeouts, Washington called for another bunt with an out in the top of the fifth, but it also resulted in an out.
Spruell finished with 13 strikeouts swinging and three called strike threes, including the final out of the game. In all, four of her six innings pitched saw three strikeouts in each inning.
“Cam’s been throwing well all year and tonight was a cumulation of her hard work, and not just during the season, but in the offseason,” Breeden said. “Also with everybody who supported her offensively and defensively, we had no errors, and that’s huge. Everybody has a part in a perfect game, and they did their part.”
Next for Hillsboro will be a tournament game in Division II as they will host a sectional semifinal game on Monday, May 9 at home against conference foe, the Jackson Ironladies at 5 p.m.
“It has been a great season, but now the season is over with, and now it is time to survive and advance as far as we can,” Breeden said.
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