13-0 for Lisbon; 1,000 for Bunting

TIPTON -- One great season now includes a one-grand milestone.

Lisbon rallied from an early three-run deficit to defeat Tipton, 8-3, in a non-conference softball game Thursday night.

The victory was the 1,000th for Lisbon Coach Bob Bunting.

"It means a whole lot," Bunting said. "When I first started coaching (in 1969), the program was really struggling."

Since the 1980s, it has become a consistent winner. The Lions won three consecutive state championships between 1994 and 1996 behind pitcher Paige Stamp.

Bunting, 67, received a postgame soaking from his team, which collected six doubles and ran its record to 13-0.

The power surge is typical for the Lions, who have muscled up drastically.

"Last year, we were lucky to hit the ball hard enough to have it roll to the fence," Bunting said.

Five different players collected two hits Thursday. Down 3-0, the Lions rallied with five runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead, then added three insurance runs in the seventh.

Lisbon is averaging 10.1 runs per game and hitting .383 as a team, compared to .291 last year, when it went 24-18.

"We were such a young team last year -- basically all freshmen and sophomores," Bunting said. "Now we're a year older and hitting the ball a lot better."

Eight players are hitting .340 or better, led by McKenna Kilburg (.542). Cassie Smith has 22 RBIs.

Kilburg and Ali Givens have split the pitching duties.

"They're not going to overpower people with their speed, but they locate the ball well," Bunting said.

It's still a young team. Not a senior in the bunch.

Lisbon strength of schedule rises sharply this weekend. The Lions will play Davenport West, Pleasant Valley and Muscatine -- all ranked in the top 10 in Class 5A -- at Davenport.

Bunting retired a few years back as Lisbon's athletics director. For about 20 summers, he performed double duty as baseball and softball coach. He has about 300 baseball wins.

"I enjoy coaching," he said. "As long as I keep enjoying it, I'll keep doing it."