MIGHTY QUINN: LHS junior homers 3 times to key Lady Cats in big week

Louisburg junior Megan Quinn homered three times last week as the Lady Cats earned three victories, including a doubleheader sweep Thursday against Osawatomie.

The bats came alive for the Louisburg softball team last week and it turned into three wins in four games for the Lady Cats. 

After earning a split at the McPherson Quad last Tuesday, the Lady Cats hosted Osawatomie in a doubleheader Thursday. Louisburg scored 29 runs in the two games and came away with 16-5 and 13-1 victories over the Trojans at Lewis-Young Park.

In the last four games total, the Lady Cats have scored 49 runs, and in the process, improved their record to 6-9 on the season.

“Our bats are finally poppin,” Louisburg coach Nick Chapman said. “A couple weeks ago, we went back to the fundamentals of hitting; getting lots of tee work in and breaking down our swings. I’m glad we did that because it’s starting to pay off at the plate.

“We are hitting like I know we are capable of hitting. We are making consistent solid contact but also doing some great small things as well. Even against McPherson, we did some great things offensively against a couple decent pitchers.”

No bat has been hotter than junior Megan Quinn.

Quinn recorded three home runs on the week and has homered in five of the last six games. In her four contests this week, she had six hits and 10 RBIs, including a home run against Osawatomie and two home runs in the McPherson Quad.

“Megan is on a tear right now,” Chapman said. “I don’t know how many girls have hit 5 home runs in a single season (at Louisburg), let alone in six games. Again, Megan is going back to the basics and making some great adjustments at the plate. She’s sitting back and finding her pitch and just dominating at the plate right now. I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

In the first game against Osawatomie, the Trojans actually jumped out to a 4-0 after two innings thanks to a couple Louisburg miscues. The Lady Cats quickly rebounded.

Louisburg scored seven runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 14-2 lead and it was all starter Izzy Moreland needed. Moreland got the complete game victory as she gave up just two earned runs and had seven strikeouts.

Moreland also led the Lady Cats with the bat as she tallied three hits, including a double, and scored two runs. Louisburg had six extra base hits as a team.

Sophomore Brynley Bauer had three hits, including a double, and 2 RBIs. Junior Ashley Moreau and sophomore Katie McKain each had a pair of hits, including a double and 3 RBIs each. 

Quinn had two hits, doubled and drove home two runs. Junior Jenna Cauthon did much of the same as she tallied two hits with a double and an RBI.

Sophomore Addy Stohs had a pair of hits and an RBI and freshman Delaney Nelsen also had a run-scoring single. 

Louisburg had a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning of the nightcap and used one big inning to pull away. The Lady Cats scored 11 runs in the fourth to seal the win.

Quinn got the complete game victory as she didn’t allow an earned run and struck out four batters. She also helped herself with her bat with a solo home run.

McKain led the Louisburg bats with three hits and 2 RBIs. Moreau, freshman Shyloh Waite and junior Rylee Hickey, who was in her first game back from injury, also had two hits.

Cauthon had an RBI double for the Lady Cats and Moreland also drove in a run for Louisburg.

“Overall, we had a great offensive night against Osawatomie,” Chapman said. “Once we got going at the plate, we didn’t stop. Ashley is still on a tear at the plate. Izzy, Jenna, Addy are all hitting the ball really well. Katie and Brynley had a fantastic night as they started finding solid contact and hitting into some gaps to get some runners in. We finally got Rylee back. She caught our second game. She came in and did some awesome things behind the plate. I’m so glad to have her back. 

“I told our girls to start the night that we need to be playing our best softball down this last stretch of games. Offensively, I think that was one of our better nights. If we can get our defense to match our offensive explosiveness, we will be tough to beat.”

Louisburg is back in action Thursday when the Lady Cats host Anderson County for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.

Louisburg splits at McPherson Quad

Louisburg ventured outside of Frontier League play and the Lady Cats made the drive down to McPherson to compete in a quad.

Although the Lady Cats lost their first game to the Bullpups, 16-6, they were able to salvage the day with a a 14-3 win over Emporia.

“The only thing I didn’t like about the McPherson tourney is that it was 3 hours away,” Chapman said “I thought it was fun though. It is definitely nice to see some different teams. We saw McPherson, who is a really solid 4A team. They lost to 6A Derby in the championship, who is one of the top teams in 6A. Then we got to see Emporia in our second game. It was good to go down there and walk away with at least one win.”

Against Emporia, Megan Quinn led the Lady Cat bats with a pair of hits of 4 RBIs — three of which came on a home run in the fifth inning that ended the contest.

Louisburg scored seven runs in the first two innings and then put the game on ice with a six-run fifth.

Izzy Moreland and Brynley Bauer each had two hits and 2 RBIs to help the Lady Cat cause and Delaney Nelsen drove home a pair of runs. Ashley Moreau and Addy Stohs also finished with two hits.

Moreland started the game for Louisburg and got the win as she gave up just two earned runs and had six strikeouts.

McPherson got to the Lady Cats early as the Bullpups took a 7-1 lead after one inning and were able to pull away from there.

Quinn hit a 3-run home run in the fifth inning, while Stohs had three hits — including a pair of doubles, to lead the Lady Cat bats. Moreland and Moreau also had two hits each.