By Drew Terhall

Dailyadvocate.com

NEW MADISON — Both the Tri-Village and Mississinawa Valley softball teams started off their season with this WOAC matchup. The Lady Patriots got the win on their home field, 10-4, on March 27.

Tri-Village head coach Emily Osborne said the team was excited to get back out on their field. That excited translated to a well played game for the Lady Patriots.

“It’s always good to start the season with a win. We’re a young team this year. We’re looking forward to the season,” Osborne said.

Tri-Village started the scoring getting two runs in the bottom of the second inning. They tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Aereonna Baker doubled in a run to make it a 4-0 game.

The Lady Blackhawks responded by getting a run on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Freshman Emma Brock doubled in a run to make it a 4-1 game.

The Lady Patriots then had big inning in the bottom of the fifth. They scored five runs to go up 9-1 heading into the back half of the game. Freshman Mylee Bierly had a RBI in the inning.

Mississinawa Valley head coach Max Guillozet said was the inning that hurt them the most. The team continued to fight and give themselves a chance. But the bottom of the fifth put them in a hole that was too deep to climb out of.

“That was the downfall of it. But, they kept playing. They didn’t quit and they could have done that. We just got to eliminate some of the silly stuff. If we can eliminate some walks, routine fly balls need to be caught. I don’t care who is the team you’re playing, if you give them four, five or six outs an inning chances are you’re not going to win very many games,” Guillozet said.

The offense for Mississinawa Valley got better as the game went on. They scored in the top of the sixth inning on a hit by senior Tori Cooley. Senior MacKenzea Townsend and freshman Gentry Newbauer both drove in a run in the top of the seventh inning.

Guillozet said after only being able to get the minimal two scrimmages in, he made the lineup based on what he saw in practice and will adjust as need be.

Tri-Village added on their tenth run of the game on a hit by sophomore Camryn Osborne in the bottom of the sixth inning to go up 10-2.

Osborne said she was happy to see the team string together 10 runs after having only two scrimmages just like Mississinawa Valley. It’s a good starting point for the offense.

“I was glad to see that we could put up the 10 runs and string them together. Sometimes, that’s the hardest part. We left a few on the bases, left them stranded, but we’ll get there,” Osborne said.

Both coaches were happy with their pitchers on the mound to start the season. For Tri-Village, sophomore Elizabeth Poling got the start and went five innings. She had at least five strikeouts in the game.

Osborne said they will once again have her be the ace on the pitching staff after starting 18 games last season as a freshman.

“Sophomore on the mound. She did well, coming out and getting things started for us. We look to have her out there often,” Osborne said.

Mississinawa Valley had a freshman starting for them. Ella Godfrey pitched the whole game and had at least eight strikeouts.

Guillozet said with being a freshman, there will be more growth ahead of her. So far, Guillozet said Godfrey can get strikeouts, but will then have the same amount of walks. It was still a good outing for the freshman in her first start at the varsity level.

“She’s a good pitcher. I think through her high school career, she’s going to be a great pitcher. Right now, it’s just trying to eliminate some of the walks. She’s young,” Guillozet said. “She’s playing varsity softball as a freshman. She’s kind of in the spotlight right in the middle of the field on the mound.”

He also said the team does have to help her out defensively and limit the errors.

Tri-Village will play again on March 29 and head to Versailles to take on the Lady Tigers. They will then host Brookville on April 1. Both games are scheduled for a 5 p.m. first pitch.

Mississinawa Valley will host Houston for a double header on March 30 with the first game starting at 11 a.m. with the second game starting shortly after.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]