Catawba Ridge starting pitcher Keira O’Brien pitched a no-hitter against the Gaffney Indians to advance in the District I finals.
The Copperheads improved to 25-2 and scattered 10 hits in a 12-0 win Saturday. They will now face Easley at home on Monday, May 12 weather permitting.
“Keira did a great job,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Mike Mayak. “She is locked in. Coming into the season, the big question was, how do you fill Chloe (Burger) shoes? And she answered the bell. She worked her butt off. We took a lot of pressure off her. The kids hit the ball. They did a great job.”
O’Brien hit the first Gaffney batter, who eventually got to third, but both her and a walk that surrendered by O’Brien were left stranded on base as the Copperheads got out of the inning without giving up a run.
Jaidyn Harris led the bottom of the inning off with a home run to right field for the Copperheads. Sarah Rocheleau doubled and Kendra Murray followed with a single scoring Rocheleau which put Catawba Ridge up 2-0.
The Copperheads stayed aggressive in the box in the second inning. Charli Burney led the inning off with a walk and scored on a wild pitch. Aloni Hogans singled and both Harris and BG Yates walked to load the bases. Rocheleau drove Hogans in on a sacrifice fly to double the Catawba Ridge lead to 4-0.
Via Perti led the third inning off with a walk and scored on a Burney sacrifice extending the Copperheads lead to make it 5-0.
Catawba Ridge kept rolling in the fourth inning as Yates doubled in Harris who walked. Rocheleau tripled scoring Yates and Murray singled in Rocheleau. Petri singled in Murray and Burney walked with two outs. Hogans hit an infield single to load the bases and Harris hit a three-run double to clear the bases and put the Copperheads up 12-0.
O’Brien finished the game in the fifth inning to get the complete game. Besides the no-hitter, she struck out nine and walked three. At the plate, Harris went 2-2 with four RBIs and both Rocheleau and Murray had two hits and two RBIs.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
