NASHVILLE — Brown County hadn’t played a softball game since it’s season opener nearly two weeks ago and hadn’t practiced since then until the day before Friday’s game against Columbus East.
The Eagles had to shake off a little rust in the first inning, but still managed to beat the Olympians 7-1.
Emma Summers pitched the entire game and ended with 14 strikeouts and allowed just three hits and a walk.
“Emma is as solid as can be,” Brown County coach Kevin Greve said. “I know the first inning, she was a little rusty. Really, not having a chance to get out here and pitch can have an effect, but boy once she gets in a groove, she’s tough. Emma really understands pitching, and every day, we get to put her out there is a good day in the circle.”
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The Eagles (2-0) had a solid day hitting the ball, also, with 11 hits. They had three hits in the first, including a two-run single from catcher Aubrey Hollander to take a 2-0 lead.
In the third, Hollander came through with another RBI, followed by and an RBI-single from Taylor Poling to give Brown County a 4-0 lead. Marley Nickels scored the final run of the third inning by reaching home after Myka Snyder got on base on an error. Poling knocked in the last two runs for the Eagles with a two-run single in the fourth.
Both Poling and Hollander went 3 for 4 and with three RBIs. Summers went 2 for 3.
Hollander said she had been struggling before Friday, so she just tried to focus.
“Aubrey is somebody that has been working on her swing a lot,” Greve said. “And her approach into tonight was a culmination of that because she’s really taken the pitch where it’s at, hitting it up the middle and hitting it to right field because girls were attacking her outside, and it’s awesome to see. Taylor is just on fire right now. She’s somebody that you can really count on at the plate.”
East coach Rusty Brummett was disappointed in his team’s hitting, but said Kendra Pastrick had a good day. Pastrick got on base with two the three hits for the Olympians (2-2), including a double in the fourth. Brooke Valles singled in the seventh.
East scored its lone run when Pastrick dashed home when the Eagles tried to throw out a runner trying to steal second.
Valles pitched all seven innings for the Olympians and had six strikeouts and three walks.
“They’ve (Brown County) got some good skill, but we’re not making adjustments like we need to make batting,” Brummett said. “It thought in the infield, there were some balls that we should have made plays on … That’s kind of what’s keeping us from good to great.”
