DELPHOS — The Jefferson softball team had been off for nearly a week when they faced off Monday against former Northwest Conference foe Upper Scioto Valley.
If there were any questions, the Lady Jeffcats answered them resoundingly, making nearly easy work of the Lady Rams at Lady Wildcat Field.
The Wildcats scored early and often on their way to a 15-7 victory.
Shauna Bowers (9-2) had another solid pitching and hitting performance, going four innings, giving up four runs (3 earned) on just two hits, while striking out 10 batters on the mound. She added a 3-for-4 day at the plate with a pair of singles and a double.
“You can tell that we haven’t thrown for a few days. Shauna started out right on the money and kind of faded out a little bit, so we need to get some innings in this week,” Jefferson coach Brad Rostorfer stated.
As solid as Bowers was in the center circle, Kayla Miller was just as sound at the plate; the senior (2-for-3) collected a pair of triples and six RBIs in the contest. Torrie Wilson was 3-for-4, reaching base at every at-bat with three singles and a walk, as well as on a throwing error by the Rams third baseman.
“We have got a number of batters that can put numbers up like that; it is a good thing to have. We just need to keep it up and keep hitting,” Rostorfer noted.
Jefferson started the contest with the first four batters reaching and scoring. Nicole Sargent brought home the final run of the inning on a suicide squeeze, giving the hosts a 4-0 advantage.
While Bowers was mowing down the USV batters, striking out six of the first seven batters, the Lady Jeffcats continued to pound away from the plate, adding three more runs in the second frame.
Alicia Schleeter and Wilson began the inning with back-to-back knocks; both came around to score on the 3-base error off the bat of Megan McElroy. “Mac” came in to score one batter later on a Miller sacrifice fly to center, making it a 7-0 contest.
However, the guests would battle back, plating four runs in their half of the third, all after two batters were out. Shelby Arnett and Lauren Neely brought home runs on consecutive singles before Bowers got a strikeout for the last out of the inning.
Jefferson got half of the runs back in its part of the frame, collecting four singles, including a run-producing hit off the bat of Wilson, scoring Brooke Apple (2-for-4).
The home team nearly run-ruled the game in the sixth inning as they needed five to send the fans home. However, they would fall one run short.
Schleeter opened the inning by getting hit by a pitch; after a Wilson walk and a McElroy (3-for-5) bunt single, the bases were loaded for Miller. She promptly sent a screamer down the third-base line, clearing the bases, making it a 14-6 contest.
Lindsey Shivley hit a long fly ball to center field but came up just short of a game-ending home run; however, the drive was deep enough to bring home Miller to bring the score to 15-6.
Apple came on to pitch the fifth, sixth and seventh innings for the Lady Wildcats, giving up three runs (2 earned) on three hits and walking five.
Upper (3-7) added two in the sixth as Thompson doubled home a pair to keep the Rams alive.
Jefferson (12-3) answered with a pair in their half of the sixth.
“I don’t think you worry about fading of the concentration too much; sometimes the way the game is going makes you lose concentration,” Rostorfer added.
Jefferson is next in action Thursday at home versus Paulding.