John Groth
Sports Editor
Paper of Montgomery County
LIZTON
– No way Brian Norris expected this kind of offensive onslaught.
With
three varsity senior starters gone for Spring Break this week, the
Crawfordsville High School softball coach hoped to escape with a Sagamore
Athletic Conference road win.
They like those close games with conference
foe Tri-West.
But in the final inning of Tuesday afternoon’s game, the
Athenians shook up the Bruins with a scoring blitz.
Visiting
Crawfordsville scored 11 runs in the top of the seventh inning and blew open a
tight game in a 15-2 victory over conference rival Tri-West.
“I would’ve
been happy with (a) 4-1 or 5-1 (victory),” Norris said. “We left so many runners
on base in the first two or three innings, I wasn’t sure what was going to
happen.”
Crawfordsville (5-0, 3-0 SAC) opened conference road play with a
bang.
Despite being without three senior starters – Haley Fink, Hannah
Fink and Alex Brock – the Athenians racked up 18 total hits, six extra-base hits
and five stolen bases.
And they’re replacements proved to be just
fine.
Sophomore Sandy Williams went 2-for-5, recording both her hits in
the final inning.
She hit a two-RBI double that put the Athenians up 8-1
and added an RBI single later in the inning which scored their last
run.
Sophomore Haley Grundy went 1-for-3 but reached base three times.
She walked in the second inning, hit a double in the sixth inning and
reached on an error in the seventh. She also stole a base and scored a
run.
Sophomore Kylie Justus went 1-for-5, hitting an infield single in
that run-filled seventh inning.
“In their first varsity games, that was
huge,” Norris said. “I was hoping they’d come up with some quality hits in the
batting order. They came through, hit the ball and put it in
play.”
Crawfordsville did most of its damage in the final inning –
sending 17 batters to the plate, recorded 11 hits and scored 11 runs in the top
of the inning, sending Tri-West and senior standout pitcher Lacie Woodall into a
tailspin.
Woodall took the loss, striking out nine batters (six in the
first three innings) and walking four. She had trouble with control problems,
missing way outside with balls – especially in the seventh inning.
She
allowed 10 runs in the seventh inning and couldn’t produce an out before being
replaced by sophomore Ashley Myers.
Crawfordsville senior Sarah Williams
connected on a single to right field to start the seventh inning, then hit a
three-RBI triple later in the inning. She finished 2-for-5 with three RBI and
two runs scored, acknowledging they picked up on Woodall’s speed.
“We
got onto (Lacie’s) speed and started to just hit off her,” Sarah Williams said.
“At the beginning, we didn’t hit off her because we’re not used to faster
pitchers.”
The game also marked the first time both Williams sisters have
played on the field at the same time, with Sarah Williams in center field and
Sandy Williams at second base.
Sarah would even give Sandy some advice on
where to position herself during the game.
“(Sandy) filled in at second
base like she’s always wanted,” Sarah Williams said. “Coach (Norris) gave her a
chance. I though she did pretty well.”
Juniors Elizabeth Zachary and
Stormy Staton also had their third-straight strong games.
Zachary went
3-for-5 with two doubles, including a two-RBI double in the top of the third.
Staton pitched all seven innings and earned the win, striking out seven and
walking only one batter.
Crawfordsville will face Tri-West in a 5 p.m.
home game Thursday, then play Greencastle on Friday and Fountain Central on
Saturday.
That’s why Norris said this game was so key to their week.
“The girls will be more relaxed,” he said. “That’s for us this week
since we have three more games. It’s good for them to get their feet wet and
good to get a win and get their feet wet.”
Processing your request, Please wait....
