RED BUD — There's no need for a tape measure when Red Bud High senior Josie Meyer steps to the plate.
Her last long distance drive over the wall will be her first.
"Bunting is my game," Meyer said. "It's what I do best."
That was certainly evident on Tuesday afternoon.
Meyer recorded a pair of bunt hits, including a bases-loaded, run-producing squeeze in the opening inning, to led the Musketeers to a 6-4 win over Okawville in a Cahokia Conference clash in Randolph County.
Red Bud (14-6, 3-1) won for the seventh time in the last eight games and moved into a contending position in the rugged Mississippi Division, which also features Carlyle (10-3, 2-1) and Wesclin. (13-4, 3-0).
Meyer triggered a 12-hit attack with two of the tiniest hits of the day.
People are also reading…
Then again, small ball is her strength. She went 4-for-6 in wins over Greenville and Newton on Saturday.
"Not one of her hits traveled more than 12 feet," Red Bud coach Brian Boeving said.
Meyer began the campaign as the Musketeers designated player. She started every game in left field, but did not hit in the starting lineup.
An injury to standout senior Lyla Hess created an opening and Meyer has stepped up big time. Hess, who was hitting .432 before breaking a bone in her left hand, is hoping to get back in three weeks.
Meyer has added a new wrinkle to the offense with her bat placement skills in addition to her speed and baserunning savvy.
She turned in what was likely the biggest at-bat of the game in the first inning. With the bases-loaded and two away, Meyer calmly set down a well-placed bunt between the pitcher and first baseman to bring in the second run of the game.
The gutsy maneuver stunned the Rockets defense and sent a shock-wave of electricity through the Red Bud dugout.
"When she does things like that it boosts our energy," Boeving said. "It gets everybody up and excited. And that's the stuff you want to see."
Red Bud senior infielder Addi Dilley, who began the two-out, two-run first-inning uprising with a single, says Meyer is the team's secret weapon.
"She just knows where to put the ball, how to get on base and how to move runners over," Dilley said.
Meyer has 16 hits in 34-at bats this season, an estimated 13 never left the infield.
The Musketeers rolled out to a 6-0 lead before holding off a late charge by the Rockets, who scored four times with two out in the seventh inning.
Red Bud used its baserunning prowess to push the lead to 5-0 with a three-spot in the fourth. Dilley and Ava Wagner both scored on the same wild pitch to highlight the uprising. Alexis Koester, who three hits, got the ball rolling with a one-out single. Wagner was hit by a pitch and Dilley ripped a rope to left for a 3-0 lead.
Okawville pitcher Taylor Hettenhausen then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed both runners to hustle around. Dilley scored all the way from second.
Crewe Wagner reached base three times for the winners. Jayna Bast and Lydia Koesterer also added key hits.
Red Bud junior pitcher Olivia Geralds cruised into the seventh inning with six-hit shutout.
Okawville (8-6, 1-3) battled back behind a two-run double from Madisyn Wienstroer, who helped the basketball team to its second successive Class 1A championship in early March.
The Rockets had runners on in every inning.
"We put some pressure on them once we put the ball in play," Okawville coach Travis Kuhn said. "I think we're heading in the right direction."
Red Bud is looking to make some noise in the post-season after being eliminated by Carterville last year.
"I think we can still get better," Dilley said.
