NEWTON – The Ansonia softball team is beginning to hit their stride midway through the season after recording back-to-back wins, 7-1 over Newton on Wednesday night and 8-0 over Mississinawa on Thursday.
The Tigers made a late season run last year and finished 9-2 in the WOAC, won a sectional title before bowing out in the district semi-final game 4-1 against Riverside. Ansonia ended up 16-9 overall with longtime coach Floyd Jenkins who notched 300 career wins.
But Jenkins retired after 20 years as head coach and this season David Fisherback takes over the program.
Fisherback has had a few different coaching experiences in his career that includes basketball and AAU softball and is the father of pitcher Jordyn Fisherback who had a stellar career at Greenville High School and then she went on to pitch at Middle Tennessee State University.
The Tigers have 5 seniors on this year’s team Maddie Buckingham, Kelsey Muhlenkamp, Bailey & Brenna Schmit and Abby Kramer giving them a solid core that returns. They also have some youth mixed in and coach Fisherback believes they are starting to gain confidence and hit their stride.
“We have some girls really starting to hit the ball well now after facing some really tough early season competition; Coldwater, New Bremen and Minster who are all really good softball teams.” Fisherback stated.
“Both Coldwater and New Bremen have great pitchers, with the Coldwater pitcher going to play at Central Michigan next year,” Fisherback added.
Ansonia and Newton found themselves in a tight game for the first 4 innings on Wednesday night.
The Tigers punched across a run in the 1st inning on an RBI single from Abby Kramer scoring Kelsey Muhlenkamp.
Newton answered and manufactured a run in the bottom of the 1st inning with Mya Denlinger stealing home.
The game remained tied until the 4th inning when Abbey Klingshirn stole home on a throw to 2nd base. Kelsey Muhlenkamp would hit a double to score Bailey Schmitt and Maddie Buckingham to put the Tigers up 4-1.
Ansonia added one run each in the 5th, 6th & 7th innings to go up 7-1.
Senior pitcher Abby Kramer after a slow start settled into the game and between her fastball and change-up was able to keep Newton off balance as she went the distance giving up just 2 hits,1 earned run and had 9 strikeouts.
“After facing some tough pitchers against tough non-conference team’s, tonight, it took a little bit of adjustment for us, but we had some girls put the bat on the ball,” Fisherback commented.
Kelsey Muhlenkamp was 2-4 with 2 rbi, freshman Addison Geyer went 3-4 with a rbi and Abby Kramer and sophomore Ava Thatcher both went 2-4. Maddie Buckingham drew 3 walks and scored 2 runs as well.
Fisherback praised his five seniors in providing good leadership.
“Our seniors have experience and have been in big games over the years. This team is extremely fast … but we are working on a lot of fundamental things and making routine plays. We have a really good pitcher in Abby Kramer and if we can make plays we can compete with anyone,” Fisherback stated.
Kramer would turn around and throw again on Thursday night this time in a back-yard rivalry game at Mississinawa Valley.
Kramer would go the distance against the Blackhawks throwing a perfect game. She had 10 strikeouts in the 9-0 WOAC win.
Addison Geyer was 3-4, 2 rbi, 2 runs scored, Abby Kramer was 2-3 a rbi, Kyle Caldwell was 2-2 and 2 runs scored, Maddie Buckingham 1-3 with 2 runs scored to lead the Tigers in the win over Mississinawa Valley.
Ansonia is now 7-4 overall and 3-1 in the WOAC with a league loss to Arcanum.
Currently Tri-Village and Tri-County North both lead the WOAC with 4-0 records, Arcanum is 5-1 and Ansonia 3-1 with opportunities yet for the top teams to make some noise.
