NEW MARKET – Southmont softball knows it has the offensive potential to have a successful season. It might have taken a couple of games for them to get going but now the Mounties are looking like them old selves at the plate. Friday Southmont hosted Clinton Prairie and were able to come away with a 10-7 win thanks to a big 3-run sixth that broke a 7-7 tie.
Chelsea Veatch broke the tie with a line drive to center fielder that was mis-played by the Gophers. That scored Anna Stokes and Jenna Grino. Dara Watson then scored Veatch on an RBI groundout.
“We’ve played a lot better than we have for most of the season from the beginning,” Southmont coach Dan Taylor said. “Our bats got going early and we played a lot better defense. The real test for us was when they got their big inning (five run fifth) to tie it up. Our girls showed great resiliency to come back and were very professional with their approach. They felt like they were going to win the game and that’s what was important to me.”
On Thursday against Fountain Central Southmont’s offense scored all 14 of their runs in the final three innings in a 16-14 loss. Combine those three innings with a complete 10-run performance on Friday and the Mountie offense looks like it’s turning the corner according to Taylor.
Against the Gophers the Mounties tallied nine hits. Jenna Grino had a perfect night at the plate going 3-3 with two RBI’s and three runs scored. Brady Spencer went 2-4 with two runs batted in while Mallory Mason ended her night with a pair of hits.
“Our girls showed real firepower the couple of nights,” Taylor said. “Tonight I was proud of two things. First, of how well we hit but even more than that we were the most patient we’ve been all season. We took our walks when they came to us. Tonight was really the first time we put all facets of the game together.”
On the mound Kyndale Rice picked up the win going the distance as in seven innings the sophomore gave up eight hits, and seven runs (four earned) while striking out four and walking just one.
The win for the Mounties is their second of the season as they improve to 2-4. They’ll take the weekend off before traveling to take on Parke Heritage on Monday before battling the Frankfort Hot Dogs in Sagamore Conference games on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tuesday will be at Frankfort before the Hot Dogs come to New Market on Wednesday.
“If we can win on Monday then that will get our week started off on the right foot,” Taylor said. “It’s always tough making the trip to Frankfort and they’ve been a competitive team the last couple of years. If you look at the start of the fourth inning last night all the way through the game today, I think our girls our beginning to get their confidence back where it should be.”
