Despite being undefeated, the Homestead boys basketball team still had its critics.A 75-65 home win against red-hot Norwell in front of a packed gym of 2,100 fans Thursday should make that skepticism go away.Before her first at-bat, Erica Leeper was chatting with her Homestead teammates, worrying she would be the first player to strike out.
There was no need for concern.
Leeper ripped a two-run home run in the first inning to help spark Homestead’s 19-1 rout of Huntington North in first-round sectional play Wednesday at Homestead.
The Spartans, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A, pounded out 17 hits to stay unbeaten (27-0) and cruise into the championship game Friday against Jay County.
“Hitting is our strength, scoring runs,” Homestead coach Tom Clagg said. “I do like coming out, jumping on top early. It makes everything a little easier.”
Designated hitter Leeper went 3 for 5 and had three RBI, and she’s feeling good about being in the lineup full time again.
Despite being an all-conference player last season, she said she struggled hitting early in the season and that led to being benched for a couple of games.
“I really don’t know what was going on,” she said. “I just wasn’t hitting as well as I usually do, so he just sat me and made my mind focus a little better and get me back in the game.”
Clagg said he has such a talented team that if one player gets in a slump, he doesn’t hesitate to go to the bench. For one, there’s sophomore Lauren Olson, who had 17 hits in 25 at-bats entering the game for a state-leading .680 average, he said.
Although Leeper admits she got frustrated at points early in the season, Clagg said she responded well to the situation and bounced back in a big way.
Leeper entered the game hitting .423 and earned all-conference honors again this season, Clagg said.
In the first inning, Homestead led off with three consecutive hits and had scored three runs by the time Leeper came to the plate with Samantha Aguilar, who hit a single, at first. With about 10 family members in the stands watching, Leeper drilled a 2-1 pitch over the right-field wall for her third home run of the season.
“It was still exciting. Every home run is exciting,” Leeper said. “It just came. I was really nervous because all of my family was here. I felt under pressure.
“I did it for my family. I like when I do good in front of them. I do it for the team also. It feels good, especially when it’s sectionals like that.”
The Spartans piled it on from there.
Thirteen players had at least one hit for Homestead, and pitchers Jacqui Matheis and Megan Wine kept the Vikings’ bats in check.
