TVS Fastpitch 2-0

Twin Valley South fastpitch got their season started on the right foot with a pair of wins to start the season.  But South was a little anxious as their pitching ace, Emily Froment, was recovering from a hip injury. Their first game was a rainout, giving her additional time to heal.  The team has done well with her on the mound.  And she has drawn the notice of the University of Dayton – who has given her a scholarship.  But they did not know how she would perform in the first few games – would it be a nagging injury that would keep her on the bench?  And South has limited numbers this season, so they can ill afford any injuries.

   

The 4 year starter was able to take the mound against Dixie, but only pitched the first 3 innings.  Dixie had a rough time making contact with the ball, and could not generate much offense against Froment.  She would get 7 strikeouts in her brief mound appearance.   South placed battery mate Katie Strazheim on the mound next.  She would pitch the next 4 innings and earn the win.  Strazheim had 6 strikeouts and only allowed one walk. 

South on the other hand, was able to get runners on base, but couldn’t cross the plate. At the end of 5 innings it was a 0-0 tie.  Dixie threatened in the top of the sixth, but good defensive play by South kept the runners from crossing the plate.  Now it was time for South to pick up their bats. Froment reached base first, then Strazheim also hit  a single.  South finally got on the board when Cayla Hartley cleared the bases with a double.  South went on to  load the bases and scored some insurance runs to break the game open.  South finished out strong and earned a 5-0 win.

Coach Robinson commented after the game, “I was a little frustrated with our hitting early on in the game.  We weren't making the adjustments that were necessary to get solid hits.  Finally in the 6th inning, we started keeping our weight back and waiting on the pitch to get to the plate, then exploded through the ball.  Of course, hitting is contagious, so once our first batters started being successful, everyone else started coming to the plate with more confidence.  That's when we were able to string together the hits necessary to score the runs.”

On Hartley, “Cayla had an exceptionally good game.  She turned a double play on a bunt attempt, by throwing the runner out going to third.  She also made a couple of tough tag plays on batters, one time preventing a run from scoring.  She also was the batter who drove in our first two runs of the 6th inning with a double.  She's been a great leader so far this year.”

Next up for South was the Brookville BlueDevils.  In this game, a healthy Froment pitched the distance – accumulating 14 strikeouts.  But as they did in their first game, South was slow to get their motor running on offense.  Brookville was able to bunt effectively and were able to score.  So South was playing from behind.   Strazheim did crush the ball with a solo home run shot in the second inning to put South on the board.  

But South had their best inning in the 5^th when Strazheim(who would be 3 for 3 at the plate) reached first on a single.  Then Leanne Johnson hit a double to score her.  The next batter, Angela Nushawg walked and a sacrifice fly by Kaylee Rivers scored Johnson while a single by Ali Robertson scored Nushawg. This inning was the difference in the game as South was able to earn a 6-4 victory.

Coach Robinson, “This was a great come-from-behind victory for us.  We've had some issues in our scrimmages with wanting to shut down when things weren't going well.  Tonight, we proved that we are capable of fighting through adversity and doing what it takes to win.  We started out slow tonight in every aspect of the game.  Mentally, we weren't sharp, and we were being impatient at the plate.  Once we settled in, we played with a lot more confidence and poise.  Brookville was a very good hitting team; they bunted well and forced us to come up with some good defensive plays.  I thought our girls responded well to the pressure.”