Rachel Seymour

Thomas Koep, Edina, Minn., senior races the ball toward first base as Joshua Stities, Shawnee junior, stretches out his arm for the ball Sunday during an intramural softball game at the Lawrence High School softball field, 19th and Mississippi streets. Stities’ team, Title IX, defeated Koep’s team, Kentucky Gentlemen, 5-0. Title IX has won two consecutive games this season.

The Kentucky Gentlemen brought peanuts, Title IX brought assorted candies and Josh Bender brought the offense.

Bender, St. Louis freshman, had a run and a RBI as Title IX stayed undefeated with a 5-0 shutout victory Sunday afternoon.

It was the second game of the CoRec intramural softball season for both teams.

It was a tough day for the Kentucky Gentlemen, who notched six hits but were unable to bring any of the runners home.

Title IX has players from the Stephenson and Watkins scholarship halls.

Its players wasted no time making a statement. David Shoemaker, Overland Park senior, took advantage of defensive confusion and scored an inside-the-park home run on the first pitch of the game.

Jill Lock, Chanute freshman, singled on the next pitch; then Josh Bender hit a ball deep into the outfield. Bender ran past second base, not realizing that Lock had been held up at third.

“I was looking for three all the way,” Bender said. “But once I realized that she wasn’t running, I stood around and let her get home.”

Lock scored while Bender was tagged out in a rundown.

Title IX took advantage of fielding errors by the Gentlemen to score runs, especially early in the game. In just six innings, the team amassed 41 at-bats.

The Gentlemen also had to contend with Title IX pitcher Michaela Ayers. Ayers struck out three batters and put a two-strike count on seven others.

“I haven’t pitched since fifth grade,” Ayers, Omaha, Neb., freshman, said. “I guess I still have skills.”

Ayers also noticed a trend among the Kentucky Gentlemen batters.

“You can tell by the way they stand where they won’t be able to hit it,” she said.

Title IX built on its three-run first with another run in the second and third innings. The final four innings of the game were scoreless and went at a fast pace.

Toward the end of the game, a light rain fell. It was not enough to distract the players, so play continued.

The Kentucky Gentlemen never mounted a charge and never had more than four batters in an inning.

Title IX grouped its rallies together, almost sending its entire lineup to the plate in the first inning.

With one game remaining, Title IX advanced to the top of its pool standings at 2-0. The Kentucky Gentlemen are tied for second at 1-1.

Following the game, the players didn’t have that on their minds, however.

They hurried back to the dugout for some postgame snacks. Good play deserves good food.