South Putnam shuts out Tiger Cubs in six innings

It was a run-scoring kind of day at South Putnam High School Monday night.

While Greencastle's baseball squad was busy laying the lumber to the Eagles, the South Putnam softball team was grinding out runs against the Tiger Cubs, leading to a 10-0 win in six innings.

Brooke Boetjer paced the Eagle defense by throwing six scoreless innings, striking out 10 while only allowing two hits against the visitors.

Offensively, the Eagles scored in all six innings but manufactured their runs. South Putnam's first tally was the product of three consecutive singles from Kelsey Whitaker, Boetjer and Jenna Jones off Tiger Cub pitcher Kayla Downing.

The theme continued in the second when Destiny Tomasino led off the inning with a single and was advanced to second on a fielder's choice. After a pop up that put the threat in jeopardy, Emily Dabkowski blasted a triple to score Tomasino and make the score 2-0.

Greencastle then had their best chance to score in the top of the third. Danielle Thomas and Taylor Pruitt reached on errors by the Eagle defense but with a runner in scoring position, Boetjer struck out Skyanne White and Alex Basile to end the threat.

South Putnam would then capitalize on a pair of Tiger Cub errors in the bottom of the inning. Whitaker singled to start the inning before Boetjer reached on a throwing error.

Both runners would then advance on a second error but things looked to stall out when Jones flew out and Mattie Varvel grounded out. Tomasino would get the runners across with a single to bump the lead up to 4-0.

Two more runs would plate in the fourth. A single by Dabkowski split two outs before Whitaker was plunked by Downing. Boetjer reached on another error, with Dabkowski scoring. Jones plated Whitaker with another single to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead.

Another two out rally saw the hosts tack on three more runs in the fifth. Tomasino recorded her third single of the game to lead off the inning but looked to be stranded after two outs were recorded thereafter.

Dabkowski singled to plate Tomasino before Jenny Thompson hit the second Eagle triple of the contest to plate Dabkowski. Whitaker plated Thompson with a single but the Eagles couldn't plate the tenth run before the inning finished.

The Tiger Cubs threatened again in the sixth after a single from Pruitt opened the inning. White laid down a sacrifice bunt, but neither Basile nor Downing could get Pruitt across home plate.

South would close the deal in the bottom of the sixth. Kaylin Yon singled, followed by Brooke Cundiff reaching base on an error. After the runners advanced on a fielder's choice, Nikki York hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Yon and end the game after six innings.

Eagle head coach Chris Jones said getting the win was in part due to getting bats on the ball.

"I think we put the ball in play, and that's one of our biggest goals. We scored in every inning. That hasn't always happened for us and I think that was beneficial. We kept the ball rolling and everyone contributed to that," Jones said.

The Eagle defense was also stout, which has been key for South Putnam's success.

"Defensively, we made a few more errors than we would have liked to, but the thing was that one error didn't lead to another error, they didn't build on each other. We did a nice job of staying together, not letting one error affect us and kept them off the board when they got in position a couple of times," Jones said.

"Brooke did well tonight. Two hits, ten strikeouts. She did a great job of bearing down when they had runners at second and third tonight. She got two huge outs for us.

"That's big for us. Earlier in the year, when we played Roncalli, we let errors build upon each other and let that affect the outcome. Today, we had two errors, but we didn't let them build and let them score," Jones added.

"Defensively we stayed up and positive and didn't let our heads drop. Earlier in the season we did, and that's something we've been focusing on is staying together and not letting one mistake make more."

At South Putnam

Greencastle 000 000 -- 0 2 3

S. Putnam 112 231 -- 10 15 2

WP -- Boetjer (11-1)

LP -- Downing (4-7)

3B -- Dabkowski, Thompson (SP)