Apr 2, 2019 4 min read

JEFFERSON – Sometimes in high school softball, doing one fundamental thing right can bring success.

“Just put the ball in play,” Jefferson-Morgan coach Rich Rush said.

The Rockets did just that with 11 hits and took advantage of eight errors to open up Section 2-A play with a five-inning, 13-2 victory over Monessen Tuesday afternoon at Chris Dugan Memorial Field.

“See ball, hit ball,” Rush said. “Sometimes the girls overcomplicate things and make it harder than what it needs to be. I was really happy with our bats today and we were really able to string out at-bats for some big innings. You want to put the pressure on the defense and just make contact with the ball. I knew our offense had this potential.”

Brynn Boyd was one of the key catalysts for the Rockets (1-0, 2-1) with two hits and five RBI.

“We have had our struggles the last couple of years,” Boyd said. “Right now, we are playing together. We are picking each other up and are just focusing on the next at-bat. I think we have a pretty good offense this season.”

J-M’s offense, which has scored 38 runs in three games so far, provided plenty of support for Caitlyn Dugan in the circle as the junior righty pitched five innings and allowed two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and three walks on 93 pitches.

“It feels good to get the section-opener (win),” Dugan said. “I had a little foot injury to start the season, so it has taken some time to get over that injury. It was frustrating and it killed me being on the sidelines. I think I have brought the right attitude into games and I just want to get this team to the playoffs.”

Monessen coach Carlee Wickstrom explained that the youthfulness of the Greyhounds (0-1, 0-2) and the defensive miscues were the difference in the loss.

“We just want our girls to get game experience,” Wickstrom said. “This is only our second game, and it’s key to get everyone as much playing time as possible. We struggled in the field today and kind of shot ourselves in the foot.”

After Abby Ankrom scored the game’s opening run off an outfield error in the bottom of the first, the Rockets got six runs on five hits, all of which came with two outs, in the second inning.

The key hits in the inning were a two-run single by Boyd, and RBI singles by Autumn Gustovich and Maddie VanDivner that stretched the lead to 7-0.

After Monessen got on the board in the top of the third with an RBI groundout by Soleil Simpson, J-M added four runs in the bottom half of the frame with an RBI single by Ankrom and a three-run homer by Boyd.

“I think it was a first-pitch change-up,” Boyd said of the home run. “I wanted to be aggressive and it just felt good when I saw it in the zone. The ball was right there and I just drove it.”

In the bottom of the fourth, the Rockets grabbed two runs when Jasmine Demaske slapped an RBI triple and then would later score on a wild pitch.

The Greyhounds were able to tack on one more run in the fifth when Hannah Yorty crushed a triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Kendelle Waston.

Yorty took the loss for Monessen in the circle with six strikeouts and two walks.

“We are rebuilding, but we want to compete every game,” Wickstrom said. “I thought Hannah pitched well and got some strikeouts. We just need to clean up our defense and bring the right attitude into games. We just want to get better every game.”

Both teams return to section action on Thursday, as J-M travels to Avella and Monessen hosts West Greene.

“Getting this win in our section opener is so critical,” Rush said. “We wanted to get this win under our belts and move on. Cait is pitching better and we are cutting down on our errors. If we play within ourselves and focus on the details, I like our chances.”