By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
ASHVILLE — Commencing a busy stretch on Monday with seven games over the next six days, Teays Valley decided to chip a couple of innings off its Mid-State League Buckeye Division game by run-ruling visiting Amanda-Clearcreek 17-1 in five innings.
“I was pleased with the focused our girls played with while having fun at the same time,” Teays Valley coach Derrick Hastler said. “We made a quick adjustment to a little tighter strike zone after playing in the field during the top of the first and that allowed us to draw some walks and then really zone in and wait for our pitch to hit.”
Micah Mann went 2-for-3, drove in six runs and scored twice, Isabel Sayre contributed a 2-for-4 evening that included two RBI and a run scored, Aimee DeWeese had a perfect 2-for-2 day, Alyvia Lawrentz was 2-for-3, drove in a run and scored three times, and Reagan Mengerink was 2-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored for the Vikings.
Teays Valley (5-0, 2-0) wasted no time in reaching the scoreboard for its fourth run-rule win of the season, denting home plate four times in the first.
Michelle Brumfield led off the home first being hit by a pitch, Morgan Cantrell worked a walk and Lawrentz reached on a bunt single to load the bases.
Reagan Mengerink then grounded into a fielder’s choice that resulted in Brumfield being retired on the play, but a throw to try and get a double play allowed Cantrell to come around from second to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead.
“We wanted to be aggressive running the base pads, take extra bases and put pressure on the defense and I felt like the girls did a good job with that,” Hastler said. “We ended one inning with trying to take an extra base and getting thrown out, but that shows the girls are buying into and following the game plan.
“I don’t mind having a runner thrown out here or there trying to smartly put pressure on the defense, because more times than not taking a chance is going to end in our benefit.”
After a popout, Mann served a 1-2 offering into right field for a two-run single that allowed both Lawrentz and Mengerink to score.
Following an infield single by Sayre that advanced the runners, DeWeese singled to left to drive in Mann.
Amanda-Clearcreek (2-1, 0-1) scored its lone run in the second on a 9-6 fielder’s choice hit into by Hailey Sowers that drove in Cassidy Steinmetz.
Teays Valley sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run second to take control of the game.
Sydney Manring reached on an infield, Brumfield coaxed a walk and Lawrentz worked a walk one out later to load the bags.
A wild pitch allowed courtesy runner Abbi Revalee to score and an error on a fly ball to center chased home Brumfield to put the Vikings ahead 6-1.
After a walk to Alyssa Brown, Mann doubled to center to drive in Lawrence, Mengerink and Brown with Mann advancing to third on the throw home.
A groundout to short by Sayre allowed Mann to score and put the Vikings ahead 10-1.
DeWeese then drew a walk and eventually scored on a single to right courtesy of Brumfield.
Manring started the game and allowed two hits, an earned run, walked four and struck out four to earn the win. Sayre tossed two scoreless frames to finish the game.
“We were able to throw all three of our pitchers over the weekend in Groveport and it was nice to get both Sydney and Isabel some work tonight,” Hastler said. “We’re playing a lot of games this week, so we want to get everyone some work and divide the innings a little bit.”
Megan Tooill and Kaylee Roberts each had a hit for the Aces.
Amanda-Clearcreek (2-1, 0-1) travels to Tree of Life Christian on Tuesday for a non-league game.
The Vikings travel to Olentangy Orange, a reigning district runner-up, on Tuesday to play the first of five non-league games this week. Teays Valley travels to Wooster Triway on Friday to take on the defending Division II state champions and then takes part in a tri-way on Saturday at Olentangy Berlin that also includes another reigning district runner-up in Westerville Central.
“We knew when we made the schedule that this would be a pretty challenging week for the girls and we would get a good idea about where we stack up,” Hastler said. “Triway has one of the best pitchers we’ll see all season and Westerville Central also has a pretty solid pitcher.”
Teays Valley 17, Amanda-Clearcreek 1
Am.-Clearcreek 010 00 — 1 2 5
Teays Valley 475 1x —17 14 1
Steinmetz, Colliton (3), Bryan (4) and Robinson; Manring, Sayre (4) and Mengerink. HR — TV — Mengerink (fourth, solo).
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