GREENVILLE – The Lady Wave defeated the Ansonia Lady Tigers 6-0 in Thursday night non-conference softball action played at Lady Wave Stadium, home of the Lady Wave.
“For us today, it’s a good game, get back playing after nine days,” said Greenville coach Jerrod Newland. “We scored in two of the innings, left a lot on base. We’re getting back in game mode and excited to play. Ella, Zoey, and Liz hit the ball square to get us some runs, played a little small ball and long ball. They made some plays, we made some plays.”
Three former Lady Wave First Team All-Ohio players, now assistant coaches, were taking their places to help coach their respective teams: Ansonia assistant coach and former Lady Wave standout Jordyn Fisherback and LWSB assistant coaches Justine Shilt and Ally Russell Bowers.
“You have Jordan, you have Justine, you have Ally,” said Greenville coach Jerrod Newland. “I’m always asked, who’s the best ever, who’s the top three – we had three of the top five here today, and it’s crazy to have those three coaching and giving back to kids.”
The teams played to a 0-0 standoff after two innings of play before the Lady Wave plated four runs in the bottom of the third to lead 4-0, taking advantage of two Ansonia fielding miscues.
“We had the one bad inning there; we had two errors, and they scored two runs,” said Ansonia coach David Fisherback. “Anytime you give extra outs, they’re going to make it hurt, but we’re going to regroup, we’re learning. We came back and had a couple of nice innings. We threw two sophomores; they’re learning, and overall, we’re pretty young and will bounce back.”
Greenville added two runs in the bottom of the fifth on solo home runs off the bats of Ella Oswalt and Lizzie Shaffer for a 6-0 score that would hold up for the final count of the night.
“Liz and Ella hit the ball square, over the fence, just very aggressive at the plate,” Newland stated. “Proud of everybody, playing good and played 17 of the 18 tonight. They get in, and they contribute. It’s not just you’re in; you’re out there competing, and that’s what it’s all about.”
“They have some good hitters,” said Coach Fisherback. “The freshman, Oswalt, I threw everything at her at the plate, and she still hit one deep. At the beginning of the night, I didn’t think any balls would go out of here, but give credit where due. This game is going to help us down the road.”
Oswalt earned the win on the mound for the Lady Wave, pitching five perfect innings allowing no hits, no runs, and no walks while striking out seven. Burns picked up the save, working two scoreless innings, allowing no runs, no walks, and one hit while striking out two.
Lizzie Shaffer went 2-3, including a home run, 1 RBI, and 1 run scored, and Ella Oswalt was 2-4 with a homerun, 3 RBIs, and 1 run to lead the Lady Wave at the plate.
Kylar Arnett went 1-3 with a run; Zoey Burns 1-3, a double, 1 RBI; Kendall Cromwell 1-2 and a walk; Leah Force a walk and a run; Kara Blumenstock 1 walk, 1 run; Riley Thomas a walk; Bri Klosterman 1 run.
Kiser accounted for the Lady Tigers’ lone hit, a double.
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
000 000 0 0 1 2 Ansonia
004 020 X 6 7 0 Greenville
