GREENVILLE – The Greenville softball team kicked off a big week with a 16-0 run rule victory against Greater Western Ohio Conference foe Piqua on Monday in Greenville.
Piqua tends to be one of Greenville’s toughest opponents in the conference, Lady Wave coach Jerrod Newland said, so it was nice to get such a resounding victory.
“We split with Piqua two of the last three years and three of the last five,” Newland said. “We don’t lose many league games, but for some reason we stubbed our toe a couple times. We were ready to play today at home. We’ve got to strap it on tomorrow because I’m sure when we go over there tomorrow it will be a 2-1, 3-1 game.”
Greenville quickly jumped on top off Piqua with three runs in the bottom half of the first inning.
After Morgan Gilbert drew a leadoff walk, she stole second and scored on a RBI single by Karsyn Shaffer to put Greenville up 1-0. Shaffer then stole second and scored on a RBI double by Cassie Cromwell, making it 3-0. Makayla Hanes collected Greenville’s third consecutive RBI hit with a single that scored Cromwell to make it 3-0 before Piqua retired the next three batters to get out of the inning.
Greenville remained hot in the second inning with four more runs.
Lani Shilt started the second inning rally with a one-out bunt single. Gilbert then drove her in with a RBI triple, putting Greenville up 4-0. Shaffer drove in Gilbert with a RBI single, making it 5-0.
After Cromwell drew a walk, Shaffer scored on a RBI single by Hanes to increase the advantage to 6-0. Cromwell then scored on an errant pickoff attempt to third, putting Greenville up 7-0.
Greenville continued to add to its lead with two more runs in the third inning.
Shilt started the rally with a two-out single. Gilbert then got a RBI single and Shaffer got a RBI double, putting the Wave up 9-0.
“Just love where we’re at as a team,” Newland said. “When we hit the ball like we hit the ball today it’s kind of fun.”
Piqua, which had one hit through the first three innings, had its best scoring opportunity in the fourth. The visitors got a single, a walk and another single to load up the bases, but Greenville got out of the jam with a groundout, leaving the bases loaded and Piqua scoreless.
Greenville had its biggest inning of the day in the bottom of the fourth thanks in part to four Piqua errors.
Cromwell started the inning by reaching on an error. Hanes then singled and Sydney Grote walked to load the bases. Piqua’s second error of the inning allowed one run to score, making it 10-0.
Baylee Petry then drove in two runs with a double, making it 12-0. Courtney Bryson knocked in one with a bunt single then Shilt had a two-run double to make it 15-0. Another error on a grounder by Gilbert brought in the game’s final run for a 16-0 Greenville lead.
Greenville finished the game with 14 hits and no errors. Piqua had three hits and five errors.
Shaffer had three hits including one double and also had two RBI for Greenville. Hanes had three hits and two RBI. Shilt had three hits including a double.
Gilbert had a single, a triple, walked once and drove in two runs. Cromwell had a RBI double and walked once. Petry had a double, and Bryson had a single.
Petry pitched four scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk and striking out two. Caitlin Christman pitched a scoreless inning in relief, allowing no hits while walking one and striking out one.
“Both pitchers did well and like both freshmen on the mound,” Newland said.
Greenville improved to 17-3 overall and 11-0 in the GWOC with Monday’s win while Piqua dropped to 11-11 overall and 6-5 in the conference. The teams will have a rematch on Tuesday in Piqua.
Greenville then will be off until Friday when the Lady Wave travel to Loudonville to play in the Champions Classic.
“It’s a big week for the softball program,” Newland said. “Get a chance to play Piqua again tomorrow, get another league win, and the weekend going up to Champions for big game Friday and two Saturday. Champions is pretty sweet because you have to be a state champ to be in there. There’s only like 39 ever of them can be invited. Just the opportunity to go up and play Friday and Saturday and get three good games in before the draw.”
