After winning 35 consecutive games between last season and this one, Catawba Ridge softball did something rare and dropped two games in a row to end the regular season.
The Copperheads corrected course on Wednesday, May 7 beating Fort Mill 15-0 to open the 5A playoffs. Catawba Ridge is now 24-2 on the season and will host Gaffney on Friday, May 9.
“Last week was brutal and the girls needed some down time,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Mike Mayak. “These girls spent 14 hours on a bus last week. But they answered the call. They did everything I asked of them. We have to build off of this. The only team that can beat us is us. We have to play our game, but if we do that we will be hard to beat.”
Catawba Ridge started strong. Sarah Rocheleau walked and Kendra Murray hit a two-run home run to put the Copperheads ahead 2-0 after the first inning.
Kyrsten Reynolds started the second inning off with a double for Catawba Ridge and scored on a wild pitch. Charli Burney singled and Aloni Hogans tripled to score Burney. Jaidyn Harris then drove in Hogans on a sacrifice to put the Copperheads up 5-0.
Fort Mill got a runner on in the third inning with a walk to Izzy Zook, but she was left stuck at first as the Copperheads starter Keira O’Brien got out of the inning.
In the bottom of the third, Rocheleau doubled and Murray hit her second two-run home run of the game. Mia Kovacs walked for Catawba Ridge before a pitching change for the Jackets. Elaina Hildebrand came in as relief for Fort Mill. Jackets starter Haley Rogers went two innings allowing eight runs on six hits, while walking two.
Reynolds then walked and scored on a sacrifice from Burney to put the Copperheads up 9-0.
In the top of the fourth, Lexi Verastegui reached on an error for the Jackets and Fort Mill got their first hit from Elise Nordgren. Again, O’Brien regrouped and got out of the inning without allowing a run.
Rocheleau and Murray singled to start the bottom of the fourth. Kovacs walked after Rocheleau got caught stealing, before Reynolds walked to load the bases.
Burney then hit a three-run double to center clearing the bases and putting the Copperheads up 12-0. Catawba Ridge would plate three more runs in the inning to force a 15-run mercy rule.
Leading Catawba Ridge at the plate was Murray, who went 3-3 with two home runs with four RBIs. Rocheleau, Burney and Hogans each went 2-2. Burney also had four RBIs. In the circle, O’Brien pitched four innings allowing one hit, while walking two and striking out four.
Fort Mill dropped to 8-11 on the season and will play Indian Land in an elimination game on May 9.
“Before this, the girls had been playing well offensively,” said Fort Mill head coach Skyler O’Mara. “We are one game from our season being over. That needs to light a fire for my girls.”
May 7 Roundup
Nation Ford won the Fort Mill Championship held between the Falcons, Fort Mill and Catawba Ridge in an 18-hole tournament held at Tega Cay Golf Club. Nation Ford shot a 295 and was led by Harrison LaPointe with a 68. Oliver LaPointe shot a 73 and Carter Smith shot a 76. Connor Mills finished the scoring for the Falcons with a 78.
Fort Mill was second with a 331 and led by Baker Tolentino with a 75. Noah Jones shot an 80 and Nick Harper and Andy Blocher finished with scores of 88.
Catawba Ridge shot a 342 and was led by an 80 from Muller Otto. Niam Sethi finished with an 81 and Carter Mitten finished with an 89. Both Miller Shelton and Dylan White shot rounds of 92.
The Nation Ford softball team lost to Woodmont 10-4 in the second round of the playoffs and falls to the consolation bracket in double elimination district play. Abilgail Loser went 3-4 at the plate to lead Nation Ford. The Falcons dropped to 15-9 and will play again on Friday, May 9.
The Fort Mill boys’ soccer team fell in its defense of the 5A state title to Hillcrest in the first round of the playoffs losing 2-1. Fort Mill ended its season with a 9-11 record.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
