Lady Wave drops opener at Holy Spirit

By BRIAN HAMILTON, Editor

The Gordo softball team travelled to Tuscaloosa Monday evening to play Holy Spirit in their season opener. The game was originally scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., but the opening pitch was delayed until 6:15 p.m. because of poor field conditions. The opener did not go as planned for the Lady Wave, however, as they saw one of their best players, Kaylee Quimby, leave with an injury, ultimately falling to the Lady Saints 8-3.

With two outs in the top of the first inning, Kaylee Quimby, who had singled, stole second base and injured her thumb on the bag. Lynnsey Horton went in as a pinch runner at second base, but Lilly Sutton struck out looking on the same bat. Quimby was looked at by trainers and taken to DCH hospital for an MRI, where it was determined that the sophomore suffered a broken and dislocated thumb.

“She got a base hit with two outs, and they had a 2-1 count on the batter, so generally you’ll see an off-speed pitch and it was the perfect time to steal,” Gordo head coach Greg Kosloff said. “She did a great job and beat the throw, but she just kind of hooked her thumb on the bag and dislocated and broke the thumb. She’s having surgery (on Friday). That was a big loss in the ball game. She was honorable mention all-state last year and hit .400, so any time you lose a .400 bat and your returning first baseman it’s a huge loss.”

Kosloff said that Quimby should be out approximately six weeks and he hopes to have her back in the lineup before the end of the year, before the area tournament and regionals.

“If there’s anybody that can get back before doctors say, she’s one of those girls. She’s as tough and as gritty a player as I’ve ever coached in my entire life,” Kosloff said. “It was a huge factor in the ball game, not having her defense, her leadership, and her offense on the field. I’m not saying that’s why we lost, but it was just a huge loss for us, not only in that ballgame, but as we go into the season.”

Holy Spirit scored in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead when Marianna Sellers hit a line drive to center field, scoring Lilly Laubenthal. The Lady Saints would then go up 2-0 when Alyssa Faircloth hit a pop fly to shortstop Taylor Clegg with one out, which sent Lilly Laubenthal across home plate. Another run scored in the bottom of the third when Anna Kate Dykes, who had moved to first base after the Quimby injury, made an error on a routine play that scored Claire Laubenthal for a 3-0 Holy Spirit lead.