Lady Eagles Power Past Borgia

Sullivan fell behind early Tuesday during their home opener against St. Francis Borgia, but the team righted itself for another victory.

Hannah Cox launched a go-ahead homer for the second straight game and Addison Purvis cut through the Knights with 16 strikeouts. Six runs combined in the third and fourth innings gave Sullivan (5-1) all the support they would need in an 8-2 win.

The middle of the order ambushed Borgia starter Katie Kopmann, led by Cox and Purvis. 

Cox had her team-leading fourth home run, a three-run shot to put the Lady Eagles ahead 4-2. Purvis took her deep for a solo blast in the fifth inning to give Sullivan an 8-2 lead. Hanna Johanning also contributed a pair hits and Kamryn Lohden drove in two runs.

Borgia was unable to capitalize on a 2-0 lead in the first inning, set in motion by a couple of errors.

Elizabeth Smith drew a leadoff walk, but Purvis struck out Beth Obermark and Josie Lindemann to bring up Liz Lynchard. Lynchard tapped a grounder to short that was ruled an error, allowing Smith to reach third. 

With Dani Kimminau batting, Lynchard took off for second. The throw was too high and Smith was able to score, giving the Knights a 1-0 lead.

Kimminau kept the inning rolling when she chopped a grounder that seemed to get some extra hop from the Sullivan turf. The ball bounced past Johanning at short and into left field. Lynchard scurried home for a 2-0 lead. Purvis quelled the damage by striking out Abi Schmidt.

Kopmann walked Purvis with one-out in the first. Reagan Thomure had an easy stolen base and scored on a Johanning single.

Madyson Stahl drew a leadoff walk to kick off the third. After a flyout to Purvis, Johanning roped another single. Cox deposited Kopmann’s 1-1 pitch beyond the fence in center, opening up a 4-2 lead for the Lady Eagles.

Sullivan tacked on three more runs in the fourth. Purvis lined a double into the right field corner to score Stahl. Johanning and Cox drew walks to load the bases for Lohden, who sent a liner up the middle for two more runs. 

The Lady Eagles didn’t record their first putout until the fifth. All 12 of Borgia’s outs in the first through fourth innings ended with strikeouts. Mya Hillerman’s sacrifice bunt in the fifth broke up the streak, but Purvis got two more punch-outs to end the inning.

Sullivan scored off Kopmann again in the fifth when Purvis hit a solo shot.