FAIRHOPE, Alabama — The Lady Trojans got a team assist Tuesday night for taking a big area win on the road and helping DHS head softball coach Lawrence Yelding reach his 400th career victory by edging the Lady Pirates 2-1 in Fairhope.

Junior right hander Baylee Lucassen got the win in a tough dual with FHS senior and Samford signee Grey Adams. Lucassen scattered five hits and struck out four to improve to 1-1. Adams struck out 11, allowed four hits and gave up two walks (one intentional).

Both pitchers suffered and benefited from some early-season-type errors, but both sides also displayed some quality D with Lucassen’s defense winning the runs-allowed battle.

At the plate, Crimson Tide commitment Peyton Grantham put DHS up with an RBI double and Ashlynn Kimbro was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Fairhope’s Paige Padgett scored to cut the lead on a double-steal after reaching on a single. The Pirates threatened to tie in the bottom of the sixth when Adams and Courtney Piesco singled, but Lucassen worked through the jam.

“It’s always nice to get that area win,” said Yelding. “Whether it’s the first or the 400th. But anytime you get a win against a quality opponent like Fairhope says your team is doing something right. Coach (Jonathan) Heflin always has his teams ready and we always know it’s going to be hard fought and down to the wire. So I’m proud of the girls for going out and swinging the bats well against a tough pitcher like Grey. And getting a lead for Baylee helped out. Also proud of how she (Lucassen) is doing, especially against a tough line up of hitters like tonight. She held her own. Of course we made some mistakes, but we’ll keep working. “

Fairhope coach Jonathan Heflin said, “It was a typical Fairhope-Daphne game. Grey took a tough-luck loss tonight. She pitched a great game, but we didn’t execute on defense or run production with runners in scoring position. She comes out here and gives you a chance to win every ball game. We weren’t terrible at the plate. We made decent contact. Just couldn’t sneak one through when we needed. But Peyton’s a great hitter and she found a way to drop one in on us down the line. But I think we are going to be alright as long as we keep working.

“We feel like with our speed we can put some pressure on some defenses and steal and bunt with success. I think we had a pretty good night at the plate, like I said. We hit the ball solid or deep but just right at somebody too many times and that’s just the way it is. But for want of one of those getting through or being in a gap, it’s a different ball game. But it is what it is and we’ll go forward from here always trying to improve in every area.”

Yelding, who took over the DHS program in 2002 from LeighAnne McPherson, was also moved by the support shown by his players and fans after the 400th-win game. “It means a lot,” he said. “It means a lot because this group of kids has worked really hard to improve their skills and their understanding of the game. And as a coach, as a teacher, seeing them —not only get better but also— develop a love and appreciation of the sport, just means something special.”

He said recent losses to the Lady Pirates and his own academic roots at Fairhope High may have helped motivate his team as well.

“Of course Fairhope is also my alma mater and will always be special to me and they know that. I guess that motivates them to play hard against Fairhope. That and the fact that some of them are young and never have beaten them in varsity. It’s been a long time. But they wanted to get this for me and I appreciate it. But there are still a lot of other people who had something to do with that 400, too. I have had the greatest assistant coaches in coach (Jim) Hinton and coach (Brittany) Castillow and have always had great parents and support from coach (Glenn) Vickery (Athletic Director) and the administration through the years.”

Hinton has coached the JV Lady Trojans since 2002 and Castillow played at Daphne for four years as did her sister Marissa.

“But of course it comes back to having had great players,” Yelding added. “Going back to names like Sage Woodham, Marissa Castillow, Brittany, Sarah Sigrest, the Campbell sisters (Hanna and Lanna) and others. Just been blessed with good pitching and very dedicated players who came on and put the team first. And that’s what we strive to teach is that when we come together as a team and we all do our jobs to the best of our ability with all our effort, then we can be successful as a team And that’s what it’s really about.”

Both teams are playing in the Dolphin Classic this weekend hosted by Gulf Shores High School.

Yelding led the Lady Trojans to the 6A state championship series in 2008 where they went 1-2 against champion Hueytown.