By Staff
MOUNDRIDGE – On Tuesday, the Moundridge softball team began their Class 2-1A regional play with Hutchinson Trinity and by scoring early combined with strong pitching, the Lady Wildcats scored an 11-0 shutout victory.
“We played Trinity a week ago and lost 4-7,” noted Lady Wildcat head coach Lynn Eichelberger. “We had to look ourselves in the mirror and decide what team we wanted to be at the end of the season. We came to play tonight.”
Now 13-7 on the season the Lady Wildcats will face country rival Inman in the regional semi-finals. Inman made the semi-finals by upsetting top seeded Sedgwick.
In the game with Trinity, the Lady Wildcats put three runs on the board in the first inning and then poured eight across the plate in the third in earning the 11-0 shutout win.
Emily Durst worked the mound for Moundridge and took advantage of a crisp Lady Wildcat defense to need just 57 pitches in five innings to get the win. Durst gave up but two hits in the game and walked just one while striking out two.
Eichelberger added a few more reflections by saying, “Emily (Durst) pitched really well, and our defense played error free. We hit the ball hard all night long while our base running was good, and our energy was unmatched from our dugout.”
At the plate, the Lady Wildcats were led by Addy Falco who went 3-for-3 with two runs batted in plus two runs scored, and Kindall Elmore who finished 2-for-2 with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Both Elmore and Falco hammered out triples while Falco and Reese Schmidt both pounded out doubles.
Coach Eichelberger concluded his reflections on the game by adding, “Nothing is more satisfying as a coach than avenging an earlier season loss, which we did tonight. Addy Falco played well at shortstop and was a home run away from hitting for the cycle. Kindall (Elmore) was really good behind the plate, and she was always on base getting two hits and drawing a walk. We got to bottle it up and be ready to play tomorrow.”
MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCAT SOFTBALL vs. Hutchinson Trinity at Class 2-1A Regionals
Scoring: Hutchinson Trinity > 0-0-0-0-0-x-x = 0-2-3; MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCATS > 3-0-8-0-x-x-x = 11-7-0.
MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCAT HITTING (ab-r-h-rbi-bb): Emily Durst > 2-1-0-0-0; Kindall Elmore > 2-3-2-3-1; Addy Falco > 3-2-3-2-0; Reese Schmidt > 3-1-1-2-0; Sam Strausz > 1-1-0-0-1; Maggy Adolf > 3-1-0-1-0; Macy Kaminkow > 2-1-1-0-1; Allison Schrag > 1-1-0-0-0; Lela Winsor > 1-0-0-0-0; Aubree Durst > 2-0-0-0-0. Team Totals > 20-117-8-3. 2B (2) > A. Falco, R. Schmidt – 1. 3B (2) > K. Elmore, A. Falco – 1. SB (4) > K. Elmore, A. Falco, S. Strausz, M. Kaminkow – 1.
MOUNDRIDGE LADY WILDCAT PITCHING (ip-p-h-r-er-bb-so): Emily Durst > 5.0-57-2-0-0-1-2.
Hutchinson Trinity Hitting > 16-0-2-0-1. Hutchinson Trinity Pitching > 4.0-97-7-11-7-3-3.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)