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SOUTHMONT SOFTBALL SECTIONAL: South Putnam can't find hits in loss to South Vermillion
NEW MARKET – Against a team that hasn’t lost in sectional play for six years, South Putnam needed an ideal start and to keep South Vermillion within arms’ reach in the opening game of IHSAA Softball Class 2A Sectional No. 44 play Monday.
The Wildcats instead started with three runs in the first and played add-on after the second inning, opening postseason play with a 10-0 win over the Eagles in six innings.
“If you can’t get hits and can’t score runs, you can’t win,” South Putnam head coach Mark Hamilton said. “It’s our M.O.; we can’t consistently tie hits together to put pressure on anybody.
“On the times we did, one ball went between the second baseman’s legs. When you put the ball in play, (South Vermillion) is like any other high school and can make mistakes but it’s not easy when you only have a couple girls making contact.”
South Vermillion struck quickly as a walk to Kenley Minor was followed by a Kalli Crouch bunt single that was compounded with an errant throw, allowing Minor to score for a 1-0 lead.
Crouch scored on a wild pitch and Hannah Boardman doubled with a sac bunt and groundout bringing the runner in for a 3-0 lead.
South Putnam got two runners on with walks in the bottom of the inning but a pair of strikeouts by Addyson Smith ended the threat.
The Eagles also avoided giving up a run after two walks in the second but saw both of their hits on the evening come to naught as Peyton Freeman and Faith Will had singles but a pinch runner was caught stealing to end the inning.
Back-to-back doubles from Rayven Wilson and Ava Swinford to start the third inning brought in a fourth run though South Putnam avoided more damage as Jaicee Jackson walked the bases loaded but also got a strikeout to end the threat.
Boardman added a solo home run in the fourth and Crouch notched a three-run blast over the left field fence in the fifth while Mady Crim singled in a run and Smith brought a run in on a groundout to reach the 10-run plateau to finish the game after six innings.
South Putnam finishes the year 5-17 but only loses one player to graduation in Hill.
“We’ve got one senior and three juniors out of 12 players,” Hamilton said. “We’ll see what the rest of them do next year.”
South Vermillion301 132 — 10 11 1
South Putnam 000 000 — 0 2 2
WP — Smith 6 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 8 K
LP — Jackson 6 IP, 11 H, 10 R (10 ER), 7 BB, 5 K
HR — Boardman, Crouch
2B — Wilson, Boardman, Minor, Swinford
RBI — Crouch (3), Swinford (2), Boardman, Crim, Smith