Columbus North and Seymour both started out aggressive at the start of Tuesday’s softball showdown, but the Owls took advantage of every opportunity the Bull Dogs gave them.
The Bull Dogs made costly errors in the second inning that gave the Owls the lead for good, and despite a short rally in the seventh inning, the Bull Dogs suffered a 9-6 defeat.
The game was supposed to be played in Seymour, but field conditions were too soft due to the rain that came through the area on Monday, and the game was played at Southside Elementary. The Bull Dogs were the designated visiting team and the Owls were the home team.
The home-field advantage did not make much difference for the Bull Dogs.
The Owls, who remained unbeaten at 5-0, collected 13 hits in the game.
“The girls are a lot more focused, and they are taking things one game at a time,” Seymour coach Brain Personett said.
North (3-4) got an early 1-0 lead off of a couple of Seymour errors in the top of the first inning, but the Owls responded back in the bottom half, taking advantage of an error to go ahead 2-1.
The Bull Dogs got singles from Lauren Imlay and Liz Bell to start the second inning. A Katie Prall walk loaded the bases, but a double play at home plate and third base prevented two Bull Dog runs. Tommi Stowers later drove in two runs with a double, however, and North had a 3-2 edge.
After the second inning, the Bull Dogs’ momentum vanished into thin air. Errors were compounded by leaving eight runners stranded on base, twice with the bases loaded to end an inning.
“We started off really good, but then everything went away quick, and we can’t have that,” North coach Robyn Coffer said. “We made too many mistakes, and then we took ourselves out of the game.”
The loss snaps a three-game winning streak for North.
Seymour picked up two runs in the third inning when Tori Snook and Haley Mobley each singled. Rachel Kaufman smacked a double to extend the Owls’ lead to 9-3.
“At first it looked like it was going to be one of those first-to-15 (runs) type of game,” Personett said. “It has been a while since we last played, but finally we swung the ball real well and we made a lot of huge plays defensively.”
The Bull Dogs did have one last spark in the seventh inning. Makayla Caudill led off with a single, and Stowers drove her home with a triple. Bailey Lofton drove in Stowers with a double and then later scored off a Madisyn Prince single.
That, however, was as close as North got.
