By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
ASHVILLE — It was a game that Teays Valley was expected to win on Wednesday, and Alyvia Lawrentz made sure there was no doubt.
The sophomore right-hander checked visiting Hamilton Township to two hits, walked a batter and struck out 16 to help the Vikings to a 9-0 Mid-State League Buckeye Division win.
“We feel Alyvia has a bright future and has the ability to be a successful pitcher, so hopefully this start is a step in that journey,” Teays Valley coach Derrick Hastler said. “She has nice movement and spin on her pitches and (senior catcher) Reagan Mengerink did a nice job working with her and catching a good game.
“This is a game where you especially want to attack the strike zone and throw a lot of strikes, and that’s what Alyvia did.”
Lawrentz faced just three batters over the minimum and threw 89 pitches, 67 of which were strikes to shutout the Rangers (1-6, 0-4).
The Vikings (12-2, 5-0) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second.
Reagan Mengerink reached on an error and Sydney Manring followed with a single to center. After a ground out, Lawrentz helped her own cause by smacking a two-run double to left center.
Teays Valley expanded its lead to 5-0 in the third.
Alyssa Brown doubled to center and scored when Mengerink reached on an error.
Manring followed by lofting a 2-0 offering over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
Teays Valley went on to score two more runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth.
Manring went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored, Aimee DeWeese was 2-for-4, drove in a run and scored and Brown also went 2-for-4 with a solo homer to lead the Vikings.
Hastler discussed the Vikings focusing on making better adjustments at the plate following a 7-2 win a day earlier against Logan.
“I felt like we had a tough time making adjustments at the plate and to the pace of the game,” he said. “We wanted to come out here with a better understanding of the situation, better plan and we wanted to keep our hands above the softball and drive it. I felt like we did a better job with that, for the most part.”
Teays Valley continues league play on Friday when it hosts Circleville (7-3, 2-1).
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