ACGC Softball Advances in Regional Play, 11-0

The regional softball tournament began the way the Charger players and fans hoped it would as the team defeated a winless IKM-Manning team, 11-0, in a first round five inning game played in Guthrie Center on Tuesday, July 6.

After a scoreless first inning, ACGC scored in every at bat, got great pitching from its hurlers, and played errorless defense to shut out the once powerful Wolves.

The Chargers picked up a pair of runs in the second inning when Madie Kelsey doubled. Mersadez Richter's sacrifice fly moved pinch runner Jenna Rowley to third, and Kylie Young's triple scored Rowley. Young then scored on Reagan Carney's double.

ACGC picked up three more scores in the third inning wen EmmaKay McClain got on by error. Jorja Hoover's triple scored McClain, and Richter's single drove in McClain. Young's second extra base hit--a double--plated Richter to give the Chargers a 5-0 lead.

The Chargers clinched the victory with a huge fourth inning in which they scored six runs on four hits, and were aided by four IKM-M errors. Olivia Van Meter's leadoff double got things rolling.

Nine consecutive Charger batters then reached safely, with McClain, Kelsey, and Reagan Carney all getting singles. Sophie Dorsey, Hoover, and Richter all reached safely by error, while Young and the Van Meter sisters drew bases on balls in the inning. By innings' end, ACGC had increased its lead to 11-0.

The Wolves threatened to score in the top of the fifth inning, getting two runners on base, but relief pitcher McClain struck out the final to IKM-M batters to end the game by the ten run mercy rule.

Starting Chargers' pitcher Emerson Van Meter threw four innings of hitless ball in what was her best performance of the season. The freshman hurler struck out four Wolves and issued no walks. The only base runners for the visitors while Emerson was in the circle were two consecutive batters who were hit by pitch in the third inning.

"We are playing well at the right time of the year," a pleased Coach Eric Van Meter commented following the win. "Great pitching and hitting last night. Hopefully that continues into tonight."

The win moves the Chargers into the quarterfinal round of tournament play. They will face WCAC opponent Earlham tonight in Earlham with game time scheduled for 7 PM. The Chargers record now stands at 16-13 for the season--the best in ACGC softball history.

Score by inning:

IKM-M 000 00--0 0 5

ACGC 023 6x--11 10 0

ACGC hitting: (AB-R-H-RBI) Dorsey(4-1-0-0) McClain(3-2-1-0) JoHoover(3-2-1-2) Kelsey(3-0-2-2) Rowley(0-1-0-0) JaHoover(0-1-0-0) Richter(3-2-1-2) Young(2-1-2-2) Fagan(0-0-0-0) Carney(3-0-1-1) OVanMeter(2-1-1-0) EVanMeter(2-0-0-0)

Pitching: (IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB) EVanMeter(4-0-0-0-4-0) McClain(1-1-0-0-2-1)