VEEDERSBURG — Fountain Central softball has momentum and that’s what every team tries to have as they enter post-season play. The Mustangs have been winners in their last two games, a 13-8 win over Attica and a 7-5 win over Bethesda Christian. FC is now hoping they can carry that momentum into the Class A Sectional 53 at Riverton Parke which gets underway on Tuesday for the Mustangs.
“We have talked about playing our best now and working on staying focused,” Mustang coach Ric Walke said. “In the last two games we have had 31 hits. If we stay patient at the plate and put the ball in play good things will happen.”
They will see a familiar opponent as Fountain Central drew WRC foe Covington. The Trojans got the better of the Mustangs in both meetings in the regular season, but both matchups were decided by a combined three runs. Back on Apr. 26 FC had an 11-10 lead heading into top of the seventh needing just three outs for the win, but the Trojans blasted a two-run to seal the win. Just two days later FC would enter the seventh trailing 5-1 and would score two runs but couldn’t complete the comeback and fall 5-3.
“Our defense hurt us some in the first two games and we feel that has improved,” Walke added. “We can not allow unearned runs to happen. We also again are hitting better and have had a better approach at the plate. That needs to be a focus against Covington.”
Seniors Maddie Medley and Jerzi Hershberger lead the Mustang offense. Medley leads FC with a .431 batting average, and 16 RBI’s while also adding a pair of home runs. Hershberger is averaging .365 on the year leads the Mustangs with 19 runs scored to go along with team-high .492 on base percentage. Sophomore Kacey Kirkpatrick is third on the team with a .361 average and a team-high nine doubles. Kirkpatrick also is the primary pitcher for FC with a 5.80 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.
Fountain Central does have some experience in winning sectional games. A season ago the Mustangs defeated Lafayette Central Catholic before falling to the Trojans in the semi-finals. FC starts six seniors in its lineup and Walke wants them to be able to end their careers on a high note.
“We were able to have a good couple of days of practice leading up to the game on Tuesday,” he said. Starting that many seniors should be a benefit to us as they want to have a good end to their softball careers.”
First pitch between the Mustangs and Trojans at Riverton Parke is scheduled 7:30 on Tuesday.
