SEYMOUR — The Columbus East softball team couldn’t prevent Seymour from finishing unbeaten in the Hoosier Hills Conference Friday afternoon when the Owls posted an 11-3 victory.
East coach Rusty Brummett had to make a last-minute pitching change after Jenna Robbins came down with a migraine headache just before the game. Jordan Johnston had to go to the mound after taking pregame infield at shortstop.
“I think one thing that most people wouldn’t notice is we anticipated starting a different pitcher and had warmed her up, and she ended up getting sick and unable to pitch,” Brummett said. “So our game plan changed very quickly, five or 10 minute before the ball game, and for high school students to be able to manage through that and to actually come out and score in the first inning is pretty impressive to me. That’s kids just being focused and being ready to play.”
Brummett said he liked the way the Olympians (6-13, 2-5) responded in the first inning.
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“We are not a team that’s going to hit a lot of home runs,” he said. “The way we executed in the first inning, our leadoff batter gets on, our second makes a great sacrifice bunt, and that gives us three, four and five and two outs to try to get that runner in and it worked. We take the lead 1-0 on a very good Seymour team, and a very good pitcher so that’s a positive thing.”
Madyson Foster led off the top of the first with a single, and Kaitlin Brummett sacrificed her to second. Brooke Valles followed with an RBI-single. Johnston also singled in the first, but a strikeout and infield out ended the rally.
Owls pitcher Rachel Kaufman then settled down and retired the side in order in the second and third innings, and had three of her nine strikeouts in the third, although Katie Taylor and Kerigan Greathouse had singles in the inning.
East got to Kaufman for two runs in the fifth when Julia Sitterding singled, Foster walked and both scored on groundouts by Kaitlin Brummett and Valles.
“Even throughout, we had several pretty good at bats,” Rusty Brummett said. “I think Mady had an at bat that went double digits, fouling off good pitches. That’s what you’ve got to do against a pitcher as good as Rachel. She’s not going to miss very often in the middle of the plate, so you’ve just got to work hard, and when she does make a mistake, you’ve got to turn it around.”
Foster was on base three times with a hit, walk and on a fielder’s choice and scored two runs.
“We made too many (six) errors and we’ve got to cut back,” Rusty Brummett said. “All-in-all Seymour is a very good team. They could make a pretty deep run in the tournament. Unfortunately for them, they play with the rest of our conference. We’re pretty young. We’re starting a couple freshmen and a couple sophomores.”
