Baldwin continues win streak

Junior pitcher Lindsay Partridge’s third strikeout preserved Baldwin’s 4-3 victory at Mepham in a Nassau Conference AA-II softball game last Saturday, giving the Lady Bruins a fifth straight win since they dropped the first meeting between the teams to open conference play on March 31.

Partridge yielded 11 hits, including four in the bottom of the seventh inning when the Lady Pirates scored all of their runs, but gave up no walks in winning her fourth start in as many conference games. She got all the offensive support she needed in the top of the fourth when Yaya Spencer followed Alex Burns’ RBI double with a three-run homer for a 4-0 lead.

“Lindsay didn’t allow any walks, which is one of our keys to success,” Baldwin coach Tom Llewellyn said. “She’s emerged as our No. 1 pitcher. She’s doing a great job with location and works quickly to give the defense a rhythm. Our offense has been carrying us, but we probably played our best defensive game of the year.”

Of the web gems, junior Montia Moon’s diving catch in right field in the second inning stood out, Llewellyn said. Burns, a sophomore, made a key grab on a long sacrifice fly to center for the second out in the seventh. 

“Some coaches might be concerned when a ball is hit in the air into the outfield, but I know we’re going to catch it,” Llwewllyn said. “With Taylor [Krucher], Alex and Montia, we’ve got a combined 10 years of varsity experience in the outfield. They’re all doing a really nice job.”

Spencer, a sophomore who hits in the clean-up spot, has been doing just that while keeping opposing outfielders on their toes. Her homer against Mepham was her seventh in 11 games, and she has 28 RBIs and 23 runs. “Yaya has tremendous power,” Llewellyn said. “She’s coming to the plate in big spots and crushing the ball. With Alex in front of her, teams can’t pitch around both of them.”

Case in point, Llewellyn said, came April 13 when Baldwin (8-3 overall, 4-1 in AA-II) trailed Hicksville by two in the top of the seventh and had the tying runs on base with two outs and Burns up. The Lady Comets walked Burns, only to have Spencer hit a go-ahead grand slam over the fence as the Lady Bruins rallied with nine runs for a 19-12 victory. Moon and senior Erin Englehart padded the lead with two-run singles.

Baldwin’s win streak began April 6 when Burns (.600 avg., five homers) smacked two homers and drove in seven runs and Krucher, a senior hitting .590 with 22 RBIs, went 4-for-4 in a 15-0 triumph over Hicksville. Two days later, Spencer knocked in five runs and Moon homered in a 14-6 victory over Port Washington.

“Our goal since the first day of practice was to win the conference,” Llewellyn said. “Right now it looks like a four-team race. We feel we’re never out of a game with the balance we’ve got.”