Columbus North’s chances of picking up its first softball win of the season took a major hit moments before Wednesday’s game against Columbus East when pitching ace Meghan Waggoner sprained an ankle while warming up in the bullpen.
The way the Olympians were hitting the ball, it may not have mattered. East pounded out 13 hits and scored 10 times in the final two innings to break a 3-3 tie and post a 13-3, five-inning victory.
“I wanted to relieve pressure from the (East) pitchers and make them more relaxed and have a little wiggle room where if we did make an error, it wouldn’t cost us the game,” said freshman shortstop Kaitlin Brummett, who went 2 for 2 with three RBIs for the Olympians.
With the score deadlocked after three innings, East (5-5) erupted for six runs in the top of the fourth. Claudia Sims led off with a single and went to third when the ball got through to the fence. After Becca Carter was hit by a pitch, Brummett lifted a sacrifice fly to the fence in straightaway center to score Sims with the go-ahead run.
Mady Foster singled to score Carter, and Jordan Johnston reached on an error. North coach Ron McDonald then elected to intentionally walk Brooke Valles, who had homered in the first, to load the bases. Jenna Robbins made the Bull Dogs pay with a two-run double.
“When they (walked Valles), I wanted to show them that I could hit,” Robbins said.
Kamryn Cantu followed with another two-run double to give East a 9-3 lead.
The Olympians added to the lead with four more runs in the fifth. Carter led off with a double and scored on a single by Brummett. Foster was hit by a pitch, and Johnston walked to load the bases.
Valles reached on a fielder’s choice to plate Brummett, and Foster scored on an errant throw to the plate. Robbins then singled in Johnston for a 13-3 lead.
“(North was) riding some energy, and they were doing some things well at the beginning of the ballgame,” East coach Rusty Brummett said. “I just kind of knew that once we settled down and got the nerves under control, we’d be all right and start hitting the ball.”
Following Valles’ homer in the first, the Bull Dogs (0-9) scored two runs off her in the bottom of the inning. Haylee Acton led off with a walk, went to second on a single by Sierra Norman, took third on a groundout and after Lilly Hurt was hit by a pitch, scored on a bases-loaded walk to Brooke Bruin. Jenna Fath then singles to score Bailey Lofton.
The Olympians regained the lead with a pair of runs in the second. With one out, Sims reached on an error, stole second and scored on a single by Carter. Kaitlin Brummett followed with an RBI-triple to give East a 3-2 advantage.
North tied the game in the bottom of the second when Acton drew a one-out walk, went to second on a single by Norman, took third on the throw to first and scored on a wild pitch.
Norman and Fath each went 2 for 3 to account for the Bull Dogs’ four hits. Johnston allowed only one hit in no runs over the final 2 2/3 to pick up the win in relief.
Robbins went 3 for 4 with three RBIs to lead the East offense. Valles went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Carter went 2 for 3 and Sims went 2 for 4.
Lilly Hurt, the only other pitcher on the North roster, went the distance as a late replacement for Waggoner, who turned her foot while warming up in the bullpen. The Bull Dogs didn’t help Hurt by making five errors.
“(Hurt) started off really good,” McDonald said. “She just didn’t get any help behind her. But we’re playing kind out of position, and routine plays, we didn’t even make. We just have to make plays in the outfield.”
