Cougar softball defeats Eminence, 10-0

Monday, April 23, 2007
North Putnam's Carlye McGaughey slides in ahead of the Eminence throw to steal second base Saturday.

BAINBRIDGE -- The North Putnam girls' softball team 10-run-ruled the Eminence Eels Saturday, 10-0, in six innings of action at home. The Cougars improved to 6-2.

Brook Miller was a powerhouse at the plate as well as on the mound.

North got the scoring started quickly as they scored two in the first inning, with Miller and Chelsea Greene coming across the plate. Ashley Doyle and Leah Crosby both had hits in the inning.

The Cougars exploded in the second inning, as Carlye McGaughey, Kayla Green and Alyssa Simpson all reached base. With Green and Simpson on, Miller came to the plate and blasted a shot over the left field wall for a three-run homer and put the Cougars on top, 6-0.

"She (Miller) went through a week where she got a little hitch in her swing and got a little down," coach George Pearson commented. "We got her in the cage and got it ironed out. The last three games she's been on fire."

North scored three runs in the fourth inning with some good hits and even better base running.

Miller found herself on third when she tagged up and headed for home as the Eminence pitcher walked to the mound. Miller hit the dirt and scored the Cougars' third run of the inning.

"She's fearless on the bases," Pearson said. "You don't coach her out there, you just turn her loose."

North needed only one run to run-rule the Eminence but the Eels made a stand in the fifth and didn't allow a Cougar to cross the plate.

Leading off the sixth inning, Miller reached base on a single to right field. She ended up at third after a rocket to right field from Dakota Malayer.

"Dakota has been swinging a hot bat for us. She's one kid that swings it pretty well every game," Pearson said.

With the winning run on third, Ashley Doyle came to the plate. With one strike on her, she hit a high sacrifice fly to left field and brought Miller home for the win.

North's speed on the bags posed a problem for the Eels all day, which is exactly what Pearson has in mind.

"We've got speed up and down the lineup," he said. "I like to gamble a little too much sometimes. We like to run and put pressure on people."

Miller pitched a complete game, throwing for six strikeouts, one hit and no walks.

North will face off against South Putnam twice and Greencastle once this week and hopes to add three conference wins to their tally.

"We've got three county and conference games to play this week and they'll be good games," Pearson said.

North will host South Putnam today at 4:30 p.m.

At North Putnam

Eminence 000 000 -- 0 1 3

N. Putnam 240 301 -- 10 13 0

Miller and Malayer (NP)

WP -- Miller

HR -- Miller

Next game -- North Putnam hosts South Putnam at 4:30 p.m. today.

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