Senior Ella McLear led the way offensively with four RBI and three hits. She hit two doubles in her first two at bats.
Photos by Drew Terhall | The Daily Advocate
Junior Maddie Hutchens (right) backs away as junior Kylar Arnett (left) makes the running grab for the out.
Junior Zoey Burns was locked in on the mound throwing seven innings racking up 10 strikeouts while allowing three hits.
By Drew Terhall
Dailyadvocate.com
GREENVILLE — The Lady Wave softball team opened up the season with an 8-1 win over Fairborn at Stebbins Field on March 25.
Head coach Jerrod Newland said it was a great day for the season opener and it was great to get the win over the Valley Division winner from a season ago.
“Just happy to come out here in the stadium, get it open and get a win. Big win. Kids hit the ball well, played some defense. Zoey (Burns) did a nice job. Made a few neat plays,” Newland said. “Bottom line sun’s out, music’s playing and Lady Wave softball is opening.”
Junior Zoey Burns set the tone early on the mound striking out the side in the first inning. The offense took off in the second inning.
Senior Addie Burke led off the second with a double. Senior Ella McLear then hit a double of her own to put the Lady Wave up 1-0. McLear later scored on a wild pitch.
McLear then came through again in the bottom of the third inning. With bases loaded and two outs, McLear cleared the bases with a double to put Greenville up 5-0. She ended the day with three hits.
In the same inning, junior Marissa Hicks hit a two run single to go up 7-0.
From the top of the lineup to the bottom, everyone was able to put the ball in play and move the runners on base.
Burns added on another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to go up 8-0.
After giving up a hit in the second inning, Burns went on cruise control through the middle innings. She had 10 strikeouts on the day and her defense gave her great support behind her.
Players like senior Haleigh McDermitt made plays in the outfield to get base runners out. Burke and junior Kylar Arnett made some nice plays getting the pop out or going after ground balls.
All around the infield and outfield, the defense stepped up and kept errors to a minimum.
Fairborn scratched across their lone run of the game in the seventh inning on a fielders choice. Burns stopped the Lady Skyhawks there as she ended the game with a punch out.
Greenville will look to go 2-0 with a road game at Fairborn on March 27. First pitch is at 5 p.m. Greenville’s lone conference loss last season was at Fairborn in a 2-1 loss in extra innings.
Newland expects this upcoming game to not be the same as this one.
“It’s good to get a win here today. But you know Wednesday down there will be a totally different story,” Newland said.
The Lady Wave will then have a game at Covington on March 29 at 5 p.m. They will then head to the Cruiser Classic Groveport to take on Lebanon and another team to be determined later on March 30. The Lebanon game will have a 2 p.m. first pitch with the next game following shortly after.
Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]
