GREENVILLE – Greenville scored 12 runs in the first inning Tuesday evening, which propelled the Lady Wave softball team to a 17-1 Greater Western Ohio Conference victory over Vandalia-Butler.
The Lady Wave sent 17 batters to the plate in the first inning, taking advantage of five hits, three walks, two hit batters and five errors to plate 12 runs in the opening frame.
“Hitting is contagious,” Greenville softball coach Jerrod Newland said. “It’s just pass the bat and quality at-bats. They gave us a few there in the first, and we just kept pushing.”
The first inning rally started with Morgan Gilbert walking, stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error when she stole second. Karsyn Shaffer then drove her in to put Greenville up 1-0 just two batters into the bottom half of the first inning.
Shaffer stole second and third and scored when Maykala Hanes reached base on an error. Following a single by Sydney Grote and a sacrifice fly by Alli Hill, Cassie Cromwell drove in both runners with a single that made it a 4-0 game.
Baylee Petry reached base on an error then Courtney Bryson bunted to bring in another run, increasing the advantage to 5-0. Haleigh Mayo, Petry’s courtesy runner, scored moments later on a wild pitch, sliding safely under a tag at home to make it a 6-0 game.
Chloe Sowry and Gilbert drew back-to-back walks, and Shaffer doubled to drive in another run, increasing the lead to 7-0. After Hanes was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Grote singled to drive in two runs and make it 9-0.
After Hill was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, Cromwell and Petry reached base on back-to-back errors that brought in three more runs and made it a 12-0 game before Butler finally got out of the inning.
Greenville added one run in the third inning. Gilbert reached base on an infield single, advanced all the way to third on two pitches in the dirt and then scored on a single by Shaffer to give the Wave a 13-0 advantage.
Greenville’s final four runs of the night came in the third inning.
After Petry and Bryson singled, Sowry laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance both runners. Both girls scored when Gilbert singled into left field, making it 15-0. Shaffer and Hanes then came through with back-to-back RBI singles to bring in two more runs and increase the lead to 17-0.
Butler avoided the shutout with one run in the fourth inning. Katie Henry hit a two-out triple then scored on a double by Morgan Wright, making it a 17-1 game.
Greenville out-hit Butler 13 to two on Tuesday. The Wave committed one error while the Aviators had six errors.
Greenville improved to 8-3 overall and 5-0 in the GWOC with Tuesday’s win. The Lady Wave will return to action on Thursday with a home game against Covington. They’ll also host Fairborn on Friday then have a home doubleheader with Springfield and Trotwood-Madison on Saturday.
