GHS Lady Bulldogs sit at 11-7 going into last week of the regular season

The Gainesville Lady Bulldogs head into the final week of the regular season with an 11-7 record after a mixed slate of games that showcased both their potential and areas for improvement, according to head coach Joe Walrath.

The Lady Bulldogs picked up wins over Fordland and Conway but struggled in losses to Mansfield and Bakersfield.

Reflecting on the Mansfield game, Walrath didn’t mince words.

“I don’t know what happens when we play at Mansfield, but we do some really dumb things,” he said. “Our base running was horrible, we made mistakes on the infield and in the outfield. It was just one of those days.”

Gainesville returned home Tuesday to face Bakersfield but dug an early hole they couldn’t escape. The Lady Lions erupted for eight runs in the first inning, setting the tone for an 11-4 Gainesville loss.

“If we could have thrown out that eight-run first inning, it would have been a really good game, but that’s not how it works,” Walrath said. “The Lady Lions are a fastball-hitting team and they proved it in that first inning. My girls hit the ball hard, but it was right at people every time. We outscored them 4-3 the rest of the game but could not make up for that first inning.”

The Lady Bulldogs bounced back Thursday against Fordland, showing the form their coach has come to expect. Gainesville found offensive rhythm and tightened up defensively in a 12-7 victory.

“This started to look like the team I was used to seeing play ball,” Walrath said. “The girls hit the ball hard and finally we found some gaps in Fordland’s defense. I think they had had enough earlier in the week, and my girls played good defense and offense and came away with the win.”

Momentum carried into Friday’s Senior Night match-up against Conway, where Gainesville delivered one of its most complete performances of the season in an 18-3 rout.

“We were patient at the plate, hit the good pitches and made the plays on defense,” Walrath said. “That will usually give you the victory, and it did. The girls once again played well on both sides of the ball.”

The game also served as a celebration for the program’s senior class: Calliegh Goodman, Mattie Cooley, Hadley Warden, and Lilly Winrod.

“I want to say congratulations to my seniors. I will truly miss them,” Walrath said. “I would also like to thank Coach [Blake] Hobbs, Coach [Austin] Thompson, the baseball boys, Luke Cooley, and Todd Luna for the help after all the rain so the girls could have Senior Night.”

Gainesville ends regular season play on the road. They traveled to Ava Tuesday, April 28 and will head to Alton Tuesday, May 5. 

The Class 2 District 5 tournament will be held May 7-12 in Mountain Grove.