Arlington’s pitching, defense shine against Cascade in conference victory

When the Lady Eagles get everybody involved, they tend to come out on top. That was the case for Arlington in a 4-2 Western Conference victory over Cascade March 24.



ARLINGTON — When the Lady Eagles get everybody involved, they tend to come out on top.

That was the case for Arlington in a 4-2 Western Conference victory over Cascade March 24.

Sophomore pitcher Hayley Fields worked the Bruins’ lineup with a upperclassman’s skill for five innings, letting her defense back her up as she scattered three hits in that time.

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“Hayley pitched very well out there today,” said Arlington coach Lonnie Hicks. “She’s really starting to find her way.”

Without a strikeout, Fields really relied on her defense in those five innings, which responded without error on the routine plays and turning in a few of the spectacular variety. A couple of those came from the glove of second baseman Brittany Bovard.

“She’s had a pretty good glove,” said Hicks about Bovard. “But now she’s starting to make some SportsCenter-type plays out there.”

Bovard made a pair of such plays in the second and third innings, with a diving stop and glove flip to first base and tracking a ball all the way out to the right-field foul line for an over-the-shoulder catch.

Bovard said she draws her inspiration from her teammates’ defense.

“It totally picks you up when somebody else makes a great play,” she said. “You start to think, ‘yeah, I want to look cool too.’”

The Eagles tok a 1-0 lead in the third inning on an RBI double by Veronica Ladines that scored Lyndsey Turner. Ladines was also a part in the Eagles’ three-run fifth inning that proved to be the game-decider. Alyssa Campbell hit in Kalie Basher with a single and Ladines came around to score later in the inning on Rachel Backlund’s single. Finally Bovard hit in Campbell on a fielder’s choice.

Cascade rallied in the top of the seventh with two runs before being put away by Ladines, who pitched the final two innings.

Arlington earned a 2-0 mark in conference with the win and is 4-1 overall. The Eagles travel to Stanwood March 30.