South Putnam slugs its way past Wolverines

Sunday, April 3, 2016

SWITZ CITY -- The South Putnam softball team has a motto of "all-in, all the time". The Lady Eagles lived up to their motto on Saturday.

South Putnam offense erupted 38 runs on 30 hits in a double-header sweep over White River Valley.

The Lady Eagles took the first game 16-6 and completed the twinbill sweep with a 22-0 five-inning romp in the second game.

"We want to be all-in in everything we do whether it's hitting, pitching or fielding," Lady Eagles coach Jamie Steffy said. "We talk about getting off to a good start in everything we do and I think we did that today."

The Lady Eagles pushed across five runs in the top of the first inning of the first game.

All five runs were unearaned as White River Valley committed two errors.

Logan Hawkins capped the inning with a two-run single.

South Putnam took advantage of two more WRV errors in the top of the second inning, extending its lead to 7-0.

"That is what you want to do no matter the sport whether its football, basketball or softball, you want to put pressure on the other team," Steffy said. "And I thought the big thing for us was our aggressive approach at the plate put pressure on their defense and we were able to take advantage of their mistakes."

Marian College signee Katie Hewitt blasted a towering solo home run just to the left of dead center, in the top of the fourth inning for an 8-0 lead.

White River Valley responded with four runs in the home half of the inning.

Freshman Carley Sloan cleared the bases with a 3-run double to right field to put the Wolverines on the board. Syndey Stahl followed with a single up the middle to pull WRV to within 8-4.

All four runs were unearned as a bases empty error with two-outs started the Wolverines rally.

South Putnam quickly erased the Wolverines momentum with four more runs in the top of the fifth inning for a 12-4 advantage.

Hawkins, again, delived the big hit of the inning with a two-run single.

An RBI single by Lexie Hamil in the last of the fifth pulled WRV to within 12-6 before South Putnam scored the final four tallies in the top of the seventh inning.

"Give White River Valley credit for battling back and not giving in," the South Putnam coach said. "But I like the way our team responded. That is the aggressive brand of softball we want to be playing."

Grace Carr finished the first game 3-for-5 at the dish with three RBI's for the Lady Eagles, while Drew Bratcher plated a pair of runs with a double and a pair of singles in five trips to the plate.

Eight different players scored at least one run for South Putnam.

Audrey Richard led WRV's 9-hit attack with a 2-for-4 effort at the plate.

Sloan added three walks to her 3-run double.

"Just a tremendous effort out of her today," WRV coach Brock Hostetter said of Sloan. "She is just a freshman and she really stepped up and showed us she can play. She played an awesome game."

Ruby Hamil, another WRV freshman, suffered the loss. She scattered 11 hits and fanned six batters.

Only five of the 16 runs she allowed were earned as theLady Wolverines comittted nine errors in the game.

Jaylen Hughbanks picked up the win for the Lady Eagles. The freshman recorded four punchouts and allowed just two earned runs in her complete game.

In the second game, South Putnam scored early and often.

The Lady Eagles took advantage of six WRV errors in the first inning for another 5-0 lead.

Carr and Helen Eaglin recorded two-run singles in the second inning for a 9-0 lead.

Carr, the Eagles designated player in both games, added a two-run double to highlight a 6-run third inning.

When the 10-run mercy rule was applied after five innings, South Putnam had pounded out 19 hits. Eaglin led the way with four knocks.

"They are a very aggressive team and hit the ball really well," Hostetter said of the Lady Eagles. "They have some really good hitters who hit the ball all over the field and when you go up there aggressive like they did, good things are going to happen."

Kyra and Tyralee Frye produced the only two hits of the second game for WRV.

The Lady Wolverines defense committed 10 more errors for a total of 19 in the double-header.

"We have a lot to work on," the WRV coach said. "But I was happy with the effort in the first game, we did a lot of good things. But in the second game, we took two steps back. We have to get more tough mentally."

Lexie Hamil suffered the game two loss, while Sydney Jackman earned the win for South Putnam.

The Lady Eagles (2-0) play Cloverdale on Monday.

White River Valley (0-3) travels to Owen Valley.

Game 1

LADY EAGLES 16, LADY WOLVERINES 6

South Putnam 520 140 4 -- 16 11 1

White River Valley 000 411 0 -- 6 9 9

SOUTH PUTNAM (1-0): Jaylen Hughbanks (W) and Drew Bratcher. Top hitters: Bratcher 3-for-4 2 RBI, Grace Carr 3-for-5 3 RBI, Logan Hawkins 2-for-5 4 RBI.

2B: Bratcher. HR: Katie Hewitt.

WHITE RIVER VALLEY (0-2): Ruby Hamil (L) and Katie Eddy. Top hitters: Audrey Richard 2-for-4, Carley Sloan 1-for-1 3 RBI.

2B: Sloan.

Game 2

LADY EAGLES 22, LADY WOLVERINES 0 (5)

South Putnam 546 25 -- 22 19 1

White River Valley 000 00 -- 0 2 10

SOUTH PUTNAM (2-0): Sydney Jackman (W) and Bratcher. Top hitters: Helen Eaglin 4-for-5 4 RBI, Hewitt 3-for-5 RBI, Emma Griffith 3-for-4 RBI, Bratcher 2-for-4 3RBI, Lillie Stein 2-for-2, Carr 2-for-4 4 RBI. 2B: Makenzi Myers, Carr.

WHITE RIVER VALLEY (0-3): Lexie Hamil (L) and Eddy.

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