ORANGE PARK – Unlike last night, when the team needed a come to Jesus meeting during the game, there was no mid game talk needed today as Providence hung a 6-0 loss on host St. Johns Country Day on Senior Day.
Ahead just 1-0 through three innings, there was no team huddle or special sermon as the bats just finally woke up and broke loose to put the game away.
For nearly a third of the game the non-district battle between state ranked teams No. 1 in Class 4A Providence and No. 2 in Class 2A St. Johns Country Day; was a pitchers duel between senior Kallie Jones (FIU signee) and junior Brianna Enter (FSU commit).
An error, two stolen bases and another error allowed lead off hitter Kyla Jackson to score without the benefit of a hit giving the Stallions a 1-0 lead in the first.
Things calmed down after that as both Jones and Enter got into grooves and began mixing it up and retiring the side in nearly every inning.
After seeing Jackson reach on an error; Enter retired five in a row before giving up her first of the game in the second inning but regrouped to pic up her third strikeout of the game to end the second inning.
Jones was just as effective if not more retiring the first ten batters before allowing a one out single from Enter in the fourth. Linsey Arnett followed with a bunt single to put Spartans on the bases, however Jones got out of the jam with two strikeouts to end the inning.
In the top of the fourth ahead just 1-0, the Stallions changed their approach and got more aggressive at the plate attacking Enter for five runs on five hits.
Avery Adcock one out single to left and Ella Roberson single to right put Stallions on first and second. Enter battled back to get the second out with a strikeout, however hit ensuing batter Jenea Bell to load the bases.
Karigan Cannon made her pay lining a shot in right field scoring both Adcock and Roberson for a 3-0 lead.
The Stallions were not done as Grace Wilson lined a shot down the left field line to score Bell and Cannon for a 5-0 lead and Jackson’s RBI triple down the left field line scored Wilson for a 6-0 lead.
Jones (16-2) who finished with 9 strikeouts, struck out the side in the fifth and allowed just one hit in the final three innings to get the win. With the win, Jones ERA dropped to 0.98 after the game according to the coaches.
The Stallions were led by Jones (2 for 4), Roberson (2 for 4), Jackson (1 for 4, RBI), Adcock (1 for 3), Bell (1 for 2), Cannon (1 for 3, 2 RBI) and Wilson (1 for 3, 2 RBI).
“No there wasn’t a come to Jesus meeting today, they took it upon themselves today,” Providence head coach Michael Cornman stated. “We took a couple innings off but exploded for five runs, mainly because of the bottom of our lineup.
“The biggest thing right now for us is our attitude is really good, they pick each other up and they are finally buying in to us.”
Providence (16-2) ends the regular season with home games against Hilliard on Thursday and Fletcher on Friday before competing in the District 2-4A tournament next week at Episcopal.
For St. Johns Country Day (13-2) its another shut out loss to the Stallions, who beat them 10-0 previously, the only blemishes on the schedule for the Spartans.
Enter struck out nine, including the entire side in the sixth to get the loss.
Arnett, Enter and the lone senior honored on Senior Day Bhealor Young, who signed with Florida State College (formerly FCCJ) before the game, picked up all three hits on the day.
The Spartans travel to Fleming Island tomorrow at 4:30 to close out the regular season, before competing in the District 2-3A tournament next week at University Christian as the top seed.
