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Battery sparking Lady 'Stangs
Caraline Stone
'South Effingham senior Caraline Stone “is holding it down behind the plate,” head coach Jessica Evans said. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff
They make each other look good.
Lady Mustangs head coach Jessica Evans
Bailey Kendziorski
South Effingham's Bailey Kendziorski delivers a pitch during an Aug. 25 game that was suspended because of lightning. Whitney Thompson watches from near third base. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

 RINCON — The battery of Bailey Kendziorski and Caroline Stone is energizing South Effingham’s softball team in a major way.

The Lady Mustangs (10-1) have won four of their last five games by shutout.  

The Lady Mustangs (10-1)  tallied seven runs in the opening frame of their 12-0 win at Brunswick on Thursday, allowing Kendziorski to cruise. She gave up only one hit and struck out seven.

In her previous outings against Statesboro, Paulding County Kennesaw Mountain, Kendziorski allowed a total of eights while racking up 13 strikeouts without a walk.

 “I’ll tell you. Our pitcher is solid,” South Effingham head coach Jessica Evans said. “She’s really solid but — I want to tell you — Caraline is holding it down behind the plate. She’s got one of the best arms and she is keeping people honest (on the base paths.”

Evans also lauded another one of Stone’s strengths following the rout of Brunswick.

“She’s out there framing (pitches),” Evans said. “She is very seasoned. She is very energetic with our pitcher, who trusts her.

“(Kendziorski) can throw stuff that might be a little off (the plate) but Caraline with catch it and make it look real pretty.”

Kendziorski’s offerings are almost always over or near the plate.

“She’s just one of those kids,” Evans said. “She just hits her pitches.”

Kendziorski had one relief stint during her hot streak. She twirled two scoreless frames in a 15-5 win over Paulding County surrendering no hits or walks.

“She’s holding it down for us in the circle,” Evans said. 

“With the way she is pitching, all we have to do is put one (run) up to win a ball game.”

And Stone simply makes Kendziorski better.

“It’s the battery,” Evans said. “They make each other look good.”

Eavns was slightly displeased with her team’s offensive play in a 4-0 win over Statesboro on Sept. 1. The Lady Mustangs were limited to four hits and one earned run.

“Situational hitting, we are hit and miss,” she said. “Obviously, we capitalized on their errors but there is a lot more we have to learn and a lot work we have to do.”

The hitting improved tremendously against Brunswick as 10 players got at least one hit.