EDWARDSVILLE - Lauren Taplin has been playing softball since she was a young girl, but she probably hasn’t had a swing at the plate that had more meaning than the one Tuesday against Belleville East.
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Taplin was poised at the plate and waited for the right pitch, which was somewhat inside, but she pushed the ball with all of her strength past the infield to drive in a run and secure a 2-1 Tigers’ win in eight innings.
“I just knew I had to get it in play somewhere past the infield because they had a force everywhere,” she said. “It (the ball) did come inside and I may have gotten jammed a little, but it worked out. This is always a good feeling, beating Belleville East, especially on the night of Pink Out.”
Edwardsville assistant coach Caty Ponce emphasized the importance of both Taplin and her teammates in the win and she followed the same emphasis in her post-game conversation.
“I think offensively our batters coming up in situations like that are prepared and have a good mindset,” Taplin said. “It is a team effort. Everyone has a part and everyone has a mindset. Just for the circumstances and it was Belleville East, it was exciting.”
Asked what she had on her mind when she stepped into the batter’s box in that clutch situation, Taplin said: “I was extremely excited and I wanted it really bad and glad my teammates were in front of me.”
