NEW MARKET – A 15-run first inning propelled Southmont’s softball team to a 17-6 win over North Montgomery.
The win moves the Mounties to 8-16 on the season, finishes their Sagamore Conference season at 5-9, ends an 11-game losing streak and gives them the county softball championship with a 3-1 record.
The Chargers, who recovered to play well the last four innings of the game, fall to 9-16 overall, and 4-10 in the league.
“This rivalry brings out the best in our players, it is such a big rivalry,” South coach Dan Taylor said. “These girls play each other in other sports too, so there are the ongoing battles there, but winning the spring sports gives you bragging rights for the whole summer. “We came ready to play today, and it was a very enjoyable game from our perspective. It stops the losing streak and gives us some winning confidence going into the sectionals.”
Both teams are headed to sectional play next Monday, so the matchup was a final tune-up for South and next-to-last for the Chargers, who face Central Catholic Friday.
North got a run in the top of the first when Sophia Shea walked and scored on a Piper Ramey sacrifice fly.
The Mounties replied by sending 19 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the first, scoring 15 on 10 hits and a host of Chargers miscues in the field.
Six different players scored twice in the inning, every hitter scored at least once, and leadoff hitter Anna Stokes batted three times.
With that implosion behind them, North outscored South 5-2 in the last four innings, four coming on a titanic grand slam homer by Ramey in the fourth that was well-clear of the scoreboard in left-center field.
“I’m happy with how we played the last four innings,” Chargers coach Rob Earley said, “but we sure have to find a way to start better in the field.”
Kyndale Rice threw the five innings for South and picked up her seventh win of the season. The sophomore scattered seven hits, walked but one and struck out four. She added a pair of hits and a pair of RBI at the plate.
Ramey went the four innings for North in the circle, and was tagged for the 13 hits and all the runs. Also a sophomore, she walked two and struck out one. She had a total of five RBI.
“North is so much better, they have improved so much over the season,” Taylor said of the cross-county rivals. “Coach Earley and his players have worked hard through the season and we are happy for them. We wish them well in the tournament next week.”
The Mounties gave freshman Kendall Priebe her first varsity start, and she was solid behind the plate. “She has been our No.2 catcher and has been our jv catcher,” Taylor said. “We had an illness, so we moved Dara Watson to first base, where she got to run the bases, and I thought Kendall did a great job. I also want to give a shoutout to Kami Dinius on her game today. She got hit in the eye with a ball in pregame earlier this week against WeBo and her eye was all black and swollen yesterday. She came and got three hits. She is the anchor of the bottom third of our order, and she just showed her toughness. She was a piece of just what our offense can do. We got a lot of good hits tonight, and I’m really happy for our players.”
The Chargers have one game left against the Knights, who defeated Fountain Central Wednesday night, before they take on Twin Lakes next Monday in the 3A tournament.
“We have made progress, and it shows,” Earley said, “but there is still work to do, learning to do. We feel we can score some runs, and the last four innings showed me a lot. We found out a lot of about ourselves.”
The Mounties take on Parke Heritage next Monday as they host their 2A sectional.
“We haven’t played them this season,” Taylor said, “but we have scouted them and feel they are a lot like us. It comes down to playing well on Monday. If we do, we stand a good chance to win.”
The win for the Mounties also allows them to creep a little closer in the ever-thrilling conclusion for the County Chase Trophy. Crawfordsville still leads the Mounties 51-49 after South gets the one point for the win. North baseball and softball will play on Friday followed by the county golf meet next Thursday to conclude the county schedule.
