ARCANUM – The Lady Trojans registered a 17-7 WOAC win over National Trail who hung around but couldn’t quite close the gap with the Trojans pulling away late in the game.
In what was scheduled to be a home game at National Trail the game would end up being moved to Arcanum due to the plastic recycling warehouse fire in Richmond leaving debris around the area and harmful smoke.
The Blazers were the home team at Arcanum and jumped out front 1-0 after the 1st inning.
Arcanum put up 5 in the top of the 3rd inning only to see Trail score 2 in the bottom of the inning down 5-3 heading into the fourth.
But the Trojans touched up National Trail for another 6 runs in the top of the 4th by playing small ball putting pressure on the Blazers to find a way to keep up.
“Once we started getting our bunts down, it put a little bit more pressure on them and we were able to manufacture runs especially in the middle innings,” Arcanum coach Mike Morris said.
“They were able to put down consecutive bunts and get some timely hitting in the middle innings and that’s part of the game and big part of what they can do to you,” National Trail coach Lon Swihart
Despite going up 12-4 by the top of the 5th inning National Trail would bring the wood out in the bottom of the 5th inning responding with 3 more runs and if not for a few good defensive plays by the Trojans it could have been more as they trailed 12-7 heading into the 6th inning and still within striking distance.
“We kind of hung around and didn’t go away we’re not necessarily super young but inexperienced at some positions with young pitchers and kids playing in different spots from when they had played previously, so we’ve come a long way and we battled putting the bat on the ball and not giving up,” Swihart praised.
“There was no quit on their part, they just kept battling, battling and battling. Hats off to them they’ve got some players, they hit the ball, I think their centerfielder is a good little leadoff hitter and you have to keep her off the bases and their shortstop played really well too. They go out there and battle every play, I mean, I was impressed,” Morris stated.
But the more experienced and seasoned Trojans squad was just too much down the stretch as they added 5 more runs in the 7th inning to register the 17-7 win.
Arcanum banged out 18 hits to Trail’s 10 in the game. Kenzie Burne & Kaitlyn Toy each had 3 hits. Burnes had 3 RBI and Toy 2. Paige Burrell, and Brooklyn Ullery each had 3 RBI’s as well. Millie Ericksen went yard late the game as well to straight away center.
National Trail Maddie Harrison drove in 4 runs, Jaleah Coffey and Trista Hanna each had 3 hit nights for the Blazers as well.
Hannah Kendig picked up the win for Arcanum throwing 5.2 innings and Belle Harleman threw 1.1 innings in relief.
National Trail Breanna Melling went the distance for Blazers.
National Trail coach Lon Swihart is optimistic with his young squad and sees growth and that’s all you can ask out of your team.
“We got run ruled in our first game, in the second game we hit like crazy but came up short, then couldn’t field it in the third game. Then we had Bradford on the ropes but ending up losing it late. Then we rebound by winning four in a row, so I guess I’m most proud to see growth, I’ve taught for 45 years, and coaching is teaching, so if you see kids progressing from where they were then that’s a good thing. We have many things to yet to improve. We don’t communicate as good as we should, we make mental errors but I’m extremely proud of the girls,” Swihart concluded.
Currently Haley Davidson leads the league with 16 rbi’s … but Arcanum has 3 of the top 5: Mollie Erickson 15, Paige Burrell and Kenzie Byrne with 13 rbi’s.
Burrell is batting 595 and leads league with 3 Home Runs and Ericksen 588 with 2 home runs.
The Blazers fall to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in the Western Ohio Athletic Conference
Arcanum with the win improves to 8-2 overall and sits atop of the WOAC at 5-0.
Arcanum has experience and a tough non-conference schedule to prepare them for post season. They dropped the first game of the season to Talawanda and also lost to Waynesville last Saturday a game coach Morris feels they beat themselves.
“So, we’re fighting it out in the league right now and we kind of control our own destiny because I think everybody has at least one loss so far,” Morris said. .
“Right now, as a team we’re hitting really well all the way through the lineup. Kinzie Burns has been playing well and she had two home runs the other night, so when your leadoff hitter leads your team in RBIs and runs, you’re doing a pretty good job right through your lineup,” Morris commented.
“National Trail came in tonight and gave us a good game, it took the whole team to pull this one out and we just got to keep that momentum going,” Morris concluded.
