DOVER – North Montgomery took a pair of softball losses on the chin to Western Boone as both teams opened Sagamore Conference play.
Game 1 went 11-1 for the Stars, and Game 2 closed 18-1.
“It’s a challenge,” North coach Rob Early said. “We just have to keep building, stay positive and work with what we have.”
The Chargers lost a starter earlier in the week when Faith Shirar was x-rayed with a crack in a leg bone. Starting shortstop Blair Nichols started the first game Wednesday, and found that an ankle injury from earlier in the week was not going to let her go on.
“We have lots of games left and need Blair for the long haul,” Early said of the decision to take her out.
The Chargers put some bats on balls, but just not enough, especially compared to the offense generated by the Stars, who move to 4-2 overall and 2-0 in the conference with the two wins.
“We couldn’t hit last year,” Early said. “We are hitting the ball this season, and hitting it hard. We got six good hits in Game 2.”
Piper Ramey got three of those hits in the second contest, and drove in the one North run, scoring Elia McManomy, who had singled earlier in the fifth inning. Sophia Shea also had a hit, as did Emma Pyle.
The Chargers had only three errors in Game 2, but there were more than enough in Game 1.
“We are a young team, learning the way,” Early noted. “No excuses, but youth leads to errors as the speed of the game picks up. We understand it, we have to keep working on it.”
The Stars bats were all over three North pitchers in the second game.
Pyle started and got into the second inning, and she was relieved by Hope Delp, who went two innings. Megan Raff finished the night.
The trio saw the Stars pound out 16 hits. Leadoff hitter Emma Shirley encored her three-run Game 1 with four hits and four runs scored in Game 2.l
“It took us a little while in the first game, but our hitting was solid,” said WeBo coach Mike Vanderpool. “We are always going to be aggressive on the bases. I was really pleased with the fact we had only two errors total. Our outfield is young, and growing, and still has more growing to do, but our infield is experienced, and Gabby Lewis on the mound was just phenomenal. I was also really happy with four good innings from Mickayla Naanos in the second game. We have six big games next week, and we are going to need at least two games from her. We have Lebanon and Tri-West in conference next week, plus Clinton Central and McCutcheon. It’s a big and busy week.”
The Chargers stay on the building program.
“We have Clinton Prairie and Sheridan in the next two days,” Early said, “and of course Danville next week. Like I said, we have to keep building and keep working. Positivity is the key word. We have goals – we want to win the county title this season, and we will keep working as hard as we can.”
Gm 1 Recap
Western Boone pitcher Gabby Lewis was in top form, as the junior struck out 12 on the way to an 11-1 Sagamore Conference win over North Montgomery in game 1 of the doubleheader.
The Chargers, who fall to 0-3 on the season and 0-1 in the conference, could manage only a Cascie Keller double in the fourth inning.
The senior’s hit scored Sophia Shea, who had walked for the second time earlier in the at-bat.
The double was the third of the season for Keller, and her fifth RBI, both team bests.
They were the only two Chargers to reach base, as Lewis logged a lot of forward and backward K’s to log her second win of the season, as the Stars move to 3-2 overall and 1-0 in the Sagamore.
Lewis struck out nine of the first 10 hitters she faced.
WeBo got a run in the first, four in the second, five in the third, and finished the game with one in the fifth.
Leadoff hitter Emma Shirley led the way for the Stars offensively, with four hits, including a triple. The junior scored three times and drove in two runs. Lewis was also a factor at the plate, with two hits and two runs scored.
Dottie Wilson, hitting in the No. 9 spot, also scored twice.
Piper Ramey pitched the distance for the Chargers, scattering 10 hits. The sophomore walked two and struck out six.
Errors were a big factor behind Ramey, as the Chargers were guilty of eight miscues in the field, adding at-bats or runs.
