Softball: Reservoir wins 10th straight game

With the bases loaded, one Mt. Hebron run already on the scoreboard and no outs in the first inning, it looked as though it would be a long day for Reservoir pitcher Rachel Brown.

But Brown settled down, struck out the next three batters and, backed by a hard-hitting offense led by Morgan Wolfe, led Reservoir to a 6-4 win over previously unbeaten Mt. Hebron Friday.

The Gators' 10 straight win of the season puts them alone at the top of the league with a 7-0 record. Mt. Hebron (8-1) drops to second along with Howard and Glenelg. All have one county loss.

"Rachel's a three-year starting pitcher and a veteran on the mound. She struggled but she came back and locked it down. When they only got that one run that inning, it kept us in the game," said Reservoir coach Julie Frisvold, whose team finished second in the county last year. Reservoir has never won a county title in softball.

"In the beginning, nothing was working," said Brown, who struck out five and walked just one.

Wolfe had two doubles, including a two-run hit in Reservoir's four-run fourth inning.

"Morgan hit the heck out of the ball. When a player gets that kind of hits, it shifts the momentum to the team and the team gets more confidence at the plate," said Frisvold.

Bridgette Vogan scored on a wild pitch in the first to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, and the Vikings added two runs in the third. Allie Bluhm led off with a triple — she also had a double later in the game — and scored on Kristin Bianca's single. Maddie Bennett, who had doubled, also scored to give Mt. Hebron a 3-0 lead. The Vikings loaded the bases but Reservoir catcher Anna Bennett picked off a runner at third to end the threat.

"We did a good job getting hits but they just weren't at the right time," said Bluhm. "We learned to adapt" to Brown.

Reservoir got back a run in the bottom of the third, sparked by Wolfe's one-out double. She scored on Amy Bresson's single.

The Gators broke open the game in the fourth, with a lead-off single from Brown, and three straight singles by Stacy Bresson, Alexa Spearman (who plated Brown's courtesy runner Tara Thompson), and Megan Maloney, setting the stage for Wolfe's double.

Erin Vogan, who started in the circle for Mt. Hebron, gave up seven hits. Sammi Cadigan, who came on in the fourth, was the losing pitcher.

Mt. Hebron got its last run in the fifth, when Bianca's long fly to left scored Kelly Jones, but the tying run was tagged out at third on an alert play by Hannah Pinion.

"She surprises us," said Brown, about Pinion. "She comes up with these (great) plays, things we don't even practice."

This is the only time Mt. Hebron and Reservoir will meet during the county schedule. Reservoir has yet to play Glenelg and Howard.

"We have a long way to go," said Frisvold, about her unbeaten team. "We're a good ball club but there are a lot of good ball clubs. It's still a battle with the top four teams. We have to show up at every game and never let up."

Mt. Hebron - 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 — 4 8 1

Reservoir - 0 0 1 4 0 1 x — 6 12 2

WP: Brown

LP: Cadigan

3B: MH - Bluhm

2B: MH - Bluhm, Bennett, E. Vogan; Re - Wolfe (2)

Glenelg shuts out Marriotts Ridge

Glenelg was able to score in the second when Brooke Redmond led the inning off with a walk and later score when Sharon Mielke was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  Faith Kujawa led off the fourth inning with a towering home run over the left field fence.  Leah Allen, Nykita Vernot, Brooke Redmond also added singles for the Gladiators.

Colleen Regan pitched seven innings of shutout ball while allowing three hits. She also struck out six Marriotts Ridge batters.

Megan Hamilton had two singles for Marriotts Ridge and Kelly Hamilton added another.

Glenelg 2, Marriotts Ridge 0

Glenelg - 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 — 2 4 1

Marriotts Ridge - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 3 1

WP: G – Regan. LP: MR – Smith

HR: G - Allen

S. Speierman strikes out 11 in Hammond victory

Hammond beat Centennial, 8-0, as Samantha Speierman pitched the entire game. She had 11 strikeouts, one walk and allowed one kit. Keyuanna Griffin caught for Hammond.

Centennial's Jen McCarthy was the losing pitcher. She also pitched the entire game and had two strikeouts, eight walks and allowed 11 hits. Naomi Prechtl caught.

There were no extra-base hits for Centennial.

For Hammond, Christy Smith went 2-for-2 with two singles. Samantha and Emily Speierman both had a single and a double.

Another shutout

Samantha O'Connor pitched seven innings giving up six hits and recording six strikeouts as Howard shutout Atholton, 11-0. O'Connor hit one batter and did not allow a walk.

Loryn McMillin hit a solo home run for Howard, Alicia Grant was 2-for-2, Katie Wilkinson went 4-for-5, Kensey O'Neill went 2-for-4 and Megan Centafont went 2-for-4. Wilkinson had two RBIs; McMillin, Grant and O'Neill each had one.

Christina Eschelman took the loss for Atholton.

Howard – 3 2 0 3 0 0 3 - 11

Atholton – 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0

WP: O'Connor. LP: Eschelman.

HR: Ho – McMillin.

Long Reach vs. Wilde Lake (not reported)