Errors cost Cards

SOFTBALL

By: Tim Falls
   Too many errors are too much to overcome.
   Lawrence High School varsity softball coach Keith Fithen said with all the errors, the Cardinals gave the game away to Hightstown last Friday.
   The Rams edged Lawrence, 15-13, with help from nine errors.
   "We gave one away," said Fithen. "We’re a better team than what we showed them. We had nine errors and it’s tough to win games when you’re giving up 15 runs."
   The game started with Lindsey Mills recording a strikeout, but the Cardinals’ first error put a Hightstown runner on the base. Mills got a second strikeout before another error moved runners around. While the game was scheduled home for Lawrence it was played at Hightstown because of poor field conditions, but the Cardinals played as the home team.
   Even with the errors, Lawrence only gave up one run that inning.
   Angela Parascando got that run back with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.
   "That ball was gone," said Fithen. "There’s no fence on that field. It was the farthest hit I’ve seen her hit so far."
   More errors in the top of the inning set Lawrence back again. Hightstown scored eight runs in the top of the sixth inning, but Lawrence answered back with six runs in the bottom of the inning and then scored four in the bottom of the seventh.
   Despite the errors, Lawrence showed it could be a team to contend with.
   "We had 13 hits, more than Hightstown," said Fithen. "We scored 13 runs. We came back from a 10-3 deficit. We came back and made it a game. We just have to fix the mistakes we’re making on the field."
   Fithen described the mistakes as mostly mental, simple throwing and fielding mistakes and said "they’re putting too much pressure on themselves to make perfect throws. It’s things they can fix."
   The Cardinals hope to avoid errors against Robbinsville on Saturday.
   "It’s a must win," said Fithen. "If we can get back to 3-6, then we have Trenton and Nottingham and I think we have a chance of being 5-6 before we face Allentown."
   A few more wins would put Lawrence back in the running to reach the state tournament.
   "It doesn’t matter who we’re playing," said Fithen. "They’re all ‘must win’ games."