A four-run fifth inning pushed the Nation Ford Falcons softball team over the Blythewood Bengals.
The Falcons beat Blythewood 9-3 to improve to 7-4 overall this season and was led by Kailey Alston in relief. Nation Ford also got seven hits in the game, three of which came from Madison Arnold in leading the way at the plate.
“This is the best offense team we have had since I have been here,” said Falcons’ head coach Craig Brown. “But we have to play clean. When we play clean, we play well.”
Nation Ford’s start Monday evening was a little rough as they allowed three runs on three hits in the first two innings. Once Alston came in to relieve starter Jamison Noonan, the Falcons bats, which struggled to give Noonan any support in the first two innings, started to wake up.
In the third inning, Nation Ford scored their first run of the game on a double by Arnold scoring Emma Skovran, who scored three times in the game getting on base three separate occasions through walks.
The Falcons added a run in the fourth to close a 3-1 gap with the help of a throwing error allowing Ava Scheier to score. Nation Ford then blew the game open in the fifth scoring four runs on two hits. Patience Wehrmeyer hit a bases clearing triple to score two runs and Arnold drove in a run as well in the inning.
In the sixth inning, Arnold hit her second double of the game scoring two more runs for Nation Ford as she drove in three runs going 3-4 at the plate. In the circle, Alston cruised allowing just one hit over four and two-thirds innings to get the win, while striking out seven batters.
Brown said they have been preaching to the team about striking first.
“We have been trying to teach them to be aggressive,” he said.
Nation Ford now turns its attention to its Region 3-5A schedule as they travel to Clover Tuesday and then play Thursday at Fort Mill.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
