The King’s Fork High School softball team’s latest lake-themed opponent experienced far less success against the Lady Bulldogs on Thursday than the one did prior to it on Wednesday.

King’s Fork trounced visiting Lakeland High School 9-1 on Thursday, recovering from a 3-0 loss on Wednesday to visiting Ocean Lakes High School.

After Thursday’s game, Lady Bulldogs coach Richard Froemel said, “My thoughts were focused offensively, obviously, and we did improve from the last game.”

He noted Lakeland’s pitching may not have offered the same challenge as that of the Lady Dolphins, but there was offensive improvement nonetheless, and King’s Fork out-hit Lakeland 8-2.

Lady Bulldogs senior pitcher Sydney Wash threw 14 strikeouts, “so there wasn’t a whole lot of fielding balls,” Froemel said.

Of course, for the Lady Cavaliers — one of KF’s conference and cross-city rivals — Wash is a familiar foe.

“Offensively, we tried to talk and prepare about what Sydney would do as far as throwing, what her patterns are,” Lakeland coach Cara Byrd said. “She did exactly what we discussed, but we just couldn’t adjust to it.”

Particularly effective against the Lady Cavs was Wash’s rise ball.

“Every strikeout that we had swinging was on the rise,” Byrd said.

Meanwhile, the Lady Bulldogs scored runs in four different innings, with one run in the first inning, four runs in the second, two runs in the fourth and two runs in the sixth.

Wash was effective on offense, as well, going 2-for-2 with two runs batted in.

Senior Jasmine Holloman, KF’s lead-off batter, went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

“Her first at-bat to start the game, she hit a triple,” Froemel said.

Junior Kay’Lee Justice went 1-for-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Freshman Madison Froemel went 1-for-2 with three RBIs; when she came up to hit the first time, bases were loaded, and she hit a stand-up double, clearing the bases.

King’s Fork has been somewhat limited this season by injuries, one of which had been to Holloman. She strained her quadriceps against Great Bridge High School on March 24 and was out for a couple of weeks.

She has been back for several games, and Coach Froemel hopes to get injured sophomore Danielle Arzillo back on Monday.

The news is less good for injured senior Shaina Holland, one of the team’s best hitters. Froemel said he does not see her coming back this season as she is not expected to be cleared to resume training until near the end of May.

The highlights were few for the Lady Cavs, but Byrd said freshman Brittney Strickland did a good job defensively, and she batted in junior Stasha Waterfield for her team’s lone run in the fourth inning.

Lakeland has two wins this season, one against Oscar Smith High School and one against Pasquotank County High School.

Byrd and her staff are trying to drive home to their young players that success will not happen automatically.

“You’ve got to work hard,” Byrd said, describing her message to them. “Everybody’s got to do their part, every single day. (Whether it’s) practice, game, it doesn’t matter.”

Lakeland (2-8, 0-1) hosts Nansemond River High School (9-2, 1-0) on Monday, and on Tuesday, the Lady Cavaliers host Heritage High School, while King’s Fork (7-6, 1-1) hosts Phoebus High School.