The 2008 version of Powhatan softball hosted AAA James River in their first home game Friday afternoon. The extremely young and inexperienced Lady Indians exhibited the down side to both of those credentials in a 6-1 loss to the Rapids.

James River wasted no time in jumping on starting pitcher Jessica Brooks. The freshman left hander hit the first batter, seemed to recover with a full count strike out of the second and, facing her third batter, fielded her position nicely to force the runner at second. But then Kaitlyn Atkins stroked a single to left and Lindsey Tuck smacked a laser to center field which slid under the glove of Marley Perry.

By the time Perry ran it down, Tuck was standing on third base and two runs had scored. Brooks got her second strike out to end the inning.

Katelyn Garrett worked Rapids pitcher Logan Carter for a walk and Kelsey Waugh advanced her to second with a sacrifice bunt. Garrett took second on a passed ball but was stranded when Perry looked at a third strike and Brittany Tomlinson looked at both strike two and three.

Brooks appeared to settle down with a strong start to the second inning. Tiffany Yonta popped out to first base and Carter did not swing at a 2-2 fast ball strike. But with two away, Whitney Cotterton stroked a double to left. Lauren Powell’s shot to third base should have been the final out, but Jessica Glidewell did not field the ball cleanly and the Rapids had runners at first and second.

Brooks worked the count full on Amanda Belcher before walking her to load the sacks. Lauren Trentham wasted no time, stroking Brooks’ first delivery for a clean single up the middle. Two Rapids scored and Powhatan was in deep trouble at 0-4.

Powhatan did mount a serious threat in their half of the second. Glidewell made good contact on a 2-1 Carter pitch but flied out to center. Liz Sill smacked her 1-1 pitch where no one was, down the left field line, for a single. Katie Rinkewich found an open patch of grass in center field and the Indians had runners on first and second with but one away. Carly Davis’ slow grounder to second got her to first base, before Belcher’s throw to load the bases. Shannon Summers took ball one, fouled off Carter’s next two pitches and missed on strike three. Garrett went down on three Carter strikes and the Indians’ opportunity to get back in the game went begging.

Sophomore Ansley Hovermale replaced Brooks on the mound and retired her first two batters on a fly out to Tomlinson in right and a five-pitch strike out. Yanta screamed a shot to third which Glidewell gobbled up and then over-threw to first base. With Yanta on second, Hovermale set Carter down on four pitches. Waugh drew a four pitch walk to start off the bottom of the inning and coach Marie Crump elected to advance her with Perry’s bunt.

Tomlinson struck out and Rapids catcher Tuck ended any chance of a score with an outstanding play at the backstop on Glidewell’s foul. Emily Duke successfully bunted to start the fourth. With an insurance run in mind, Lauren Powell laid down a bunt of her own to advance Duke. Powell was out at first and when Duke over slid second an alert Summers rifled a shot to Davis and doubled her off. Hovermale ended the inning with a three-pitch strike out of Belcher.

The inexperience of the Indians was painfully obvious in the fifth inning, but Powhatan did add a final run in the sixth. Sill singled and went to second on a wide throw. Rinkewich’s ground out got her to third and Summers settled the issue with a triple to the fence in left.

“Today was like nothing I’ve seen in a long time,” said Farmer.

“We made too many mental mistakes. Our short-game defense must improve.

“We’re young.” she added. “We’ll just have to take small steps.”