NEW MARKET — Southmont’s bats were unstoppable in a two-game softball sweep of county and conference rival Crawfordsville on Tuesday night.
The Mounties (7-4, 3-2 SAC) scored 27 runs on 28 hits in a 27-2 game one win, before beating the Athenians 19-5 in game two. In total, Southmont had 48 hits.
“It would be really difficult for us to play any better,” Southmont coach Dan Taylor said. “Macie (Shirk) pitched great and then our bats. We had a lot of different girls contribute. It was fun, county game and our girls were up. We like to play Crawfordsville.”
Southmont scored eight runs on four hits, including a two-run home run from Natalie Manion in the opening inning, but the Mounties were just getting started. They added seven runs in the second and eight in the third — getting contributions from the entire lineup.
Hanna Nichols, Abbey Gass, Chelsea Veatch, and Elizabeth Conkright each had three hits in the game No. 1 win, while Marissa Craig had four. Seven straight hitters reached safely to lead off the the second inning for the Mounties, including home runs by Gass and Nichols.
“Give South credit, they hit the ball and pitched well,” Crawfordsville coach Kevin Kellerman said. “It’s hard to stay mentally tough when you’re out there that long.”
Brooklyn Mills drove in both Athenian runs with a two-run home run in the fourth.
After a near perfect game played by Southmont in game No. 1, the script flipped to start game No. 2.
Crawfordsville (0-16, 0-7 SAC) grabbed a 2-0 lead on a two-RBI double from Mills that plated Olivia Reed and Allyson Barton.
“We wanted to get off to a good start and we came out a little flat and Crawfordsville took it to us,” Taylor said. “I thought Crawfordsville showed a lot of competitiveness there and instead of looking at the first game, they were ready to go.”
The Mounties eventually kicked it into gear, scoring four runs each in the third and fifth, before busting the game open with a nine-run sixth — yet the Athenians didn’t go away without a fight.
“After a late night last night and then 27-2 that first game, I didn’t know what to expect,” Kellerman said. “We were very pleased with how that game started. We jumped out to a 2-0 lead and held the lead. It was a good bounce back and that shows fight. They are still fighting and competing to win.”
Shirk pitched two complete games for the Mounties, totalling 19 strikeouts, while allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 11 innings pitched.
“We were worried about how long Macie could go,” Taylor said about game No. 2. “Macie Shirk was able to pitch the whole game. That’s her leadership. She stepped up tonight and took the innings we needed her to under a unique situation.”
Overall, offensively Shirk had six hits and three runs driven in, while Nichols had four hits and six RBI, Natalie Manion had three hits and five RBI, and Taylor Grino two hits and three RBI. Gass had five hits and four RBI and Marissa Craig eight hits and four RBI. Craig and Gass each hit two home runs, while Manion and Nichols added round-trippers.
“I think our girls are doing a really good job of their swings and then doing a much better job of pitch selection,” Taylor said. “We are swinging at balls that we can hit. A pitch they can drive, so our extra-base hits are going up and our average is going up.”
