By Brad Morris
SportingPumpkin.com
Isabel Sayre and Abbi Revalee provided a spark for Teays Valley on Wednesday from the bottom of the lineup.
The eight-and-nine-hole hitters combined for five hits, five RBI and four runs scored in an 11-0 win over visiting Hilliard Darby in a Division I Central District sectional final that lasted five innings.
“It was nice to see both Isabel and Abbi step up and have huge nights for us,” Teays Valley coach Derrick Hastler said. “Isabel has been struggling a little bit as of late, where it can tough to see the pitch and get the barrel of the bat to the softball. She did both of those pretty well tonight.
“We’re resting Alyssa Brown with the ankle injury she suffered last week, trying to get her as healthy as possible, and Abbi stepped in and played a nice shortstop and also had a good night at the plate.”
The Vikings jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first.
Michelle Brumfield worked a five-pitch walk and Morgan Cantrell was hit by a pitch.
After the runners advanced on a ground out to third by Micah Mann, Reagan Mengerink doubled to center to drive in both Brumfield and Cantrell.
Sydney Manring followed with a single to center to drive in Mengerink.
The Vikings (23-4) doubled their lead an inning later over the Panthers (8-9).
Sayre doubled to center and scored when Revalee smacked a 1-2 offering over the left field fence for a two-run homer.
Brumfield was then hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single to right off the bat of Mann.
The Vikings extended their advantage to 10-0 in the third on a two-run homer over the left field fence by Sayre that also scored Aimee DeWeese and a two-run double to center off the bat of Cantrell that allowed Revalee and Brumfield to both dent the dish.
Sayre turned in a perfect 3-for-3 ledger with three RBI and two runs scored, Revalee was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, Manring helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with an RBI and run scored and Mann also turned in a 2-for-3 evening with an RBI.
Manring checked the Panthers to just one hit in a complete game effort where she struck out eight batters.
The Teays Valley sophomore right-hander threw 49 pitches, 36 for strikes, and faced the minimum of 15 batters, thanks to a 4-3 double play.
“Sydney was pretty confident attacking the hitters and she really trusted her stuff and hit spots well,” Hastler said.
The Vikings wrap-up Mid-State League Buckeye Division play for the season, weather permitting, on Friday with a trip to Hamilton Township, and then are slated to turn round on Monday and host Olentangy Berlin, a 6-3 winner on Wednesday over Dublin Scioto, in a district semifinal.
Teays Valley traveled to Berlin (16-9) early last month and returned home with a 10-8 win.
