BLOOMINGTON ― It was the kind of game where a more junior-senior laden Columbus North softball team seemed to know what it had to do right away to put a younger Bloomington South team on its heels.
A leadoff triple got the ball rolling, and a pair of bunts the Panthers were not able to make plays on led to a four-run first inning. That was more than enough for junior Bailee Scruggs, who scattered seven hits in the Bull Dogs’ 6-1 upset Wednesday.
The loss forced South (10-4, 4-1) to likely share the Conference Indiana title instead of owning it outright. Given the youth and that the Panthers have with just two seniors in outfielders Akasha Burton and Evie Carpenter, it’s not a bad place to be so early in many of their careers.
“We came into this knowing our position was if we win this game, we win conference,” Burton said. “That’s a super big deal, but being on that pedestal, I think that Evie (Carpenter) and I just tried to calm our players because it’s a lot of pressure. When we take that pressure off and have fun, it goes better.”
For the Panthers, going out there with something big on the line was a new and valuable experience moving forward. Sectionals start May 26.
CN jumped on Johnson right away with a leadoff triple rom Morgan Jarvis, a bunt beaten out by Summer WIlliams, then a sac bunt the Panthers grabbed and threw home too late to make it 1-0. Scruggs slugged a two-run double and a two-out RBI single extended the lead 4-0.
“We’ve got to field those balls and get those outs,” South coach Meg Montgomery said. “I need us defensively to clean that up.”
In the second, Scruggs was at the plate again and bashed a no-doubt homer to deep left for a 6-0 cushion, leaving South a bit stunned.
“I’m sure it’s the first time a lot of these kids … have been in that position,” Montgomery said. “I know a couple of them were nervous, but I said, ‘Hey, let’s just go out and play our game.’
“I think some of the bunts threw us a little bit there early on. Add on a couple hits, and next thing you know, we’re down 4-0.”
Mixed day for the freshman arms
It was 6-0 after two innings, sending freshman starter Rachel Johnson to the dugout after just 1⅔ innings. But the silver lining was seeing fellow newbie Brilee McLaughlin take over and hold Columbus North (9-10, 3-1) to just two hits with two walks and no runs the rest of the way.
“This was an intense game,” Montgomery said. “We’re sitting at 4-0 in the conference with your freshman pitcher and going up against a pretty good Columbus North team with some experienced pitching.
“I thought Brilee came in and seemed composed down 6-0. I thought she did a nice job helping settle us down. Rachel has pitched in some other big games, and they need that experience. They’ll grow from this.”
Scruggs muffles South bats
Scruggs, a junior, was solid all day as South could only crack her once.
Burton started the fourth by drawing a walk. She went to second on a wild pitch, even as Scruggs fanned the next two batters. Carpenter brought her home with a single and that was it. CN turned a double play off a liner in the fifth and Scruggs got two fielder’s choice outs after two were on with no outs in the seventh for a clean finish.
“She has good spin, she has good speed,” Burton said. “So far this season, we’ve played some really good teams and we’ve also played some teams that pitching hasn’t been as fast. So, it’s an adjustment to that faster pitching. But I think we did a good job overall making good contact, we just didn’t get the results.”
Scruggs struck out seven, but South also had several loud outs. Abby Purtlebaugh finished 2-for-4 at the plate.
At 10-4 and with wins in hand over the other four sectional teams, there’s plenty of reason to seize momentum back heading into the postseason.
“This is a very talented, younger group,” Montgomery said. “You have to find a way to get everybody together. I told my seniors these younger kids wouldn’t have responded or do what they needed to without their leadership.
“We’ll take small steps, not look at the big picture and take one game at a time and keep learning and growing as the season and start building their confidence.”
COLUMBUS NORTH 6, BLOOMINGTON SOUTH 1
Columbus North (9-10, 3-1) 420 | 000 | 0 — 6 | 10 | 1
Bloomington South (10-4, 4-1) 000 | 010 | 0 — 1 | 7 | 1
W: Bailee Scruggs. L: Rachel Johnson.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: South softball’s conference title hopes deep-sixed by Columbus North
Reporting by Jim Gordillo, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
