Both the Catawba Ridge softball and baseball teams are heading to their respective Upper State championship series.
The Catawba Ridge softball team improved to 22-3 overall with a 15-4 rout of the Greenwood Eagles Saturday to clinch a spot in the Upper State series, where they will face the winner of Monday, May 15 game between York and North Augusta. Catawba Ridge lost to North Augusta last year in the 4A state championship series.
The Upper State series is a best of three with the Copperheads having home games in game one and game three. The first game of the Upper State series is Wednesday, May 17.
Catawba Ridge head coach Michael Kidd said he would like some revenge on North Augusta, but would also like to play a team he knows like York.
“I feel good about where we are offensively,” Kidd said.
The game Saturday was the first time the Copperheads have played in a week and got off to a slow start as Greenwood went up early 2-0 after the top of the first inning.
Catawba Ridge was able to get a run back in the bottom half of the first on an error by Greenwood. However, in the second inning is where the Copperheads really opened things up scoring seven runs on four hits. Two of those hits including a three-run triple by Sarah Rocheleau and a two run double by Kyrsten Reynolds.
From there, the Copperheads were able to set the cruise control. Pitcher Chloe Burger performed well going five innings and allowing four runs on four hits, while striking out seven and walking two. Burger didn’t allow a hit between the first and fifth innings and allowed just one base runner.
Catawba Ridge plated two runs in the third on a two-run home run from Rocheleau. Then in the fourth inning, Reynolds would come up with a big hit courtesy of a two-run double.
Greenwood rallied some in the top of the fifth scoring two runs with two outs on two hits enough to keep the game alive. The prolonging of the game was short lived as Catawba Ridge scored three runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning.
The Copperheads’ Audrey Wilson started the bottom half of the inning off with a double. Rocheleau then doubled in Wilson and Kendra Murray hit a two-run home run to force the mercy rule and make it 15-4 thus ending the game.
Murray was 1-3 in the game with two RBIs. Rocheleau went 3-4 with a double, triple and home run to go with six RBIs and Reynolds was 2-3 with four RBIs.
“We had some kids stepping up,” Kidd said. “We had some good swings.”
Catawba Ridge baseball
The Catawba Ridge baseball team playing down in Greenville for the second straight day.
The Copperheads beat the Greenville Red Raiders 9-4 in eight innings off a five-run inning which saw Jonathan Barschow hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to help secure the win for the Copperheads.
Greenville scored on a solo home run in the bottom of the third inning to go up 1-0. Catawba Ridge added a run in the top of the fifth to tie the game.
Greenville scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning only to have Catawba Ridge tie the game again in the top of the sixth inning with the help of two run home run from Jackson Mullen and a Britton Nash single.
With the game tied at 4-4 in the top of the eighth inning, Caden Glauber, who came in to relieve Mullen on the mound singled to score Ethan Solnick. With three runners on, Barschow then hit the grand slam.
Brennen Helms went 3-3 at the plate, and Mullen went 1-3 with two RBIs Barschow went 1-3 as well with four RBIs.
On the mound, Mullen went four and two third innings allowing three runs on two hits, while walking three and striking out five. Glauber went three and a third innings allowing one run on five hits while striking out four.
The win puts Catawba Ridge into the 4A Upper State championship series against Laurens who beat Greenwood Saturday. Like the softball series, the baseball series is best of three with Catawba Ridge being at home for games one and three. Game one of the series is schedule for Tuesday, May 16.
Catawba Ridge is now 25-6 overall on the season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
