Crusader softball flattens Ravenscroft
Apr. 8—Quoth the raven, nevermore? For Ravenscroft, it might be more like never again.
The Ravens had Grace Christian in town for a softball game Thursday evening, and probably wished they hadn't taken the call by the time the game came to an end, as the Lady Crusaders beat down their 4A host 20-2 in a game that was mercifully called after just four innings of play.
Grace (6-3 overall) came into the contest as the state's fifth-ranked NCISAA 2A team, and is stepping up its play despite still being one of the state's youngest varsity teams. On Thursday, the Lady Crusaders put up five runs in each inning before the game was called. Ravenscroft, like Grace a young team with just one junior and one senior on its 15-player roster, was overmatched from the start. The Ravens got two runs in their half of the first inning against Grace freshman pitcher Addison Kirk, but both were unearned.
Kirk worked the first two innings before giving way to seventh-grader Victoria Thomas. Each struck out three Ravens batters.
A few Grace batters had monster games, with the Lady Crusaders pounding out 14 hits and drawing a dozen walks. Abby Carville was 4-for-4 with four runs scored and four RBI. Annika Johansson was 1-for-1 with three walks, three runs scored and an RBI. McKenzy McDougald was 1-for-2 with two walks, three runs and four RBI. Hayley Pugh was 2-for-2 with two triples, two walks, two RBI and three runs scored. Thomas was 2-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored, Kirk 2-for-4, and Abigail Zinglemann had a hit, walk and three runs scored.
Grace comes back home this week for two games and an opportunity to improve its standing in the statewide rankings. On Tuesday, the Lady Crusaders host Freedom Christian (6-2), the state's top-ranked NCISAA 2A team. On Friday, Wilson Christian, the fourth-ranked team in the NCCSA, comes calling.
