LINDEN – Coach Rob Earley watched as another ball skipped off a glove.
It was just one of those games for the North Montgomery softball team Monday evening in a 20-10 defeat to visiting Covington.
The Chargers (2-3) committed seven errors in the game. But that was just one of the teaching moments Earley was able to express to his team.
“You have to take advantage of every opportunity, offensively and defensively,” Earley said. “In the field, we can’t drop fly balls in the outfield or in the infield. So all those are teachable moments. They’ve made the plays. I told them you’ve already proven you can do it. That’s why we hold them accountable now because they’ve done better.”
North never led, but crawled back into the game twice. ‘
After a four-run first inning by the Trojans (3-3), the home team matched that in the bottom of the frame. The big blow was a two-run single by junior Piper Ramey.
The Trojans scored at least two runs in every inning except the sixth. Meanwhile, freshman pitcher Brooke Rottman settled in to hold North scoreless until the fifth. The Chargers got RBI hits from Ramey and Hope Delp to draw to 13-6.
The home team’s last rally was in the sixth, plating four. With one out, Bailey Nichols walked and Sophia Shea singled. Ella McManomy was safe on a dropped third strike and Nichols scored as the throw to first was wild. Ramey drove in her fourth run with a single and Faith Shirar followed with a RBI ground out to draw to 13-10.
Covington put it out of reach with a seven-run seventh.
Delp led the offense with four singles and two RBI in four at bats, spraying the ball all over the field. Ramey was 3-for-4 at the plate and scored three runs. Megan Raff also had a multi-hit game.
Ramey pitched the distance and recorded seven strikeouts.
Earley does not have too many issues with the offense.
“This is the best one through nine team I’ve had since I’ve been here. It’s all about confidence, retaining the information and repeat performance. I could tell in the first inning defensively we just didn’t have it. We were struggling in spots we haven’t struggled yet.”
Again, he feels the team is in a place to be held accountable in all areas.
“We had two strikeouts looking and that’s why we did two laps after the game. That’s our rule. We can’t afford to give up that opportunity.” North is right back in action Tuesday and Wednesday with the Sagamore Conference home and home against Danville.
“If we show up and play the way I know we can, it’s going to be a competitive game. It’s up to them. We have the right people in place.”
COVINGTON 20, NORTH MONTGOMERY
COV 4 2 3 2 2 0 7 – 20 22 2
NM 4 0 0 0 2 4 0 – 10 12 7
Hits: C – Gayler 4, Sutherlin 4, Kingery 4, Lague 3, Rottman 2, E. Holycross 2, H. Holycross 2, Stein; N – Delp 4, Ramey 3, Raff 2, Ba. Nichols, Shea, Garcia. 2B: C – Gayler 2, Stein, Rottman, Sutherlin; N – Ramey. 3B: C – Gayler, Lague.
Runs: C – Gayler 5, E Holycross 3, Kingery 3, H. Holycross 2, Sutherlin 2, Rottman 2, Lague 2, Lenfesty; N – Ramey 3, Ba. Nichols 2, Shea 2, McManomy 2, Shirar.
RBI: C – E. Holycross 2, H. Holycross 2, Gayler, Sutherlin, Rottman, Stein; N – Ramey 4, Shirar, Delp.
Pitching: C - Rottma (7IP 12H 10R 8ER 7K 6BB); N - Ramey (7IP 22H 20R 14ER 7K 2BB);
WP – Rottman (1-0) LP – Ramey (2-2)
