GREENVILLE – The Greenville Lady Wave continued their dominant run through the Miami Valley League on Wednesday, stretching their winning streak to 15 games with an 11-4 victory over the visiting Tippecanoe Lady Red Devils at Lady Wave Stadium.
“Great day for Lady Wave Softball — fun for the kids, great program coming in in Tipp — just excited to get the win,” said Greenville coach Jerrod Newland after the Lady Wave improved to 15-1 overall and 9-0 in MVL play.
Sophomore Ella Oswalt led Greenville’s offensive attack with a perfect 4-for-4 night, collecting singles in the first, second, and sixth innings and doubling in the third. Her steady production helped fuel a 15-hit Greenville barrage.
Tippecanoe struck first with a run in the opening inning, but Greenville answered immediately in the bottom half. Lizzie Shaffer delivered an RBI single, and a Tippecanoe error plated two more runs as the Lady Wave surged ahead 3-1 after one inning.
“Came out of the gates really hot, hit the ball, playing some defense, but hats off, good day today for the softball team,” Newland said. “We were hitting the ball a little bit, they’re making a few plays, we were hitting it, and excited for the day.”
Greenville added two more runs in the second inning. Lily Brubaker opened with a walk, Leah Force singled, and Oswalt drove in a run with a single down the left-field line before Shaffer grounded out to score another, making it 5-1.
The Lady Wave broke the game open in the third with four more runs. After a Tippecanoe error put a runner aboard, Kara Blumenstock singled, Rielynn Davidson knocked in a run, freshman Hallie Fourman smashed an RBI double to the base of the left-field fence, Force added an RBI single, and Oswalt capped the inning with a run-scoring double for a commanding 9-1 lead.
Tippecanoe mounted its biggest push in the fourth, scoring three runs on a string of extra-base hits to cut the deficit to 9-4, but Shaffer settled in and shut the door the rest of the way.
“Lizzie attacked them on the mound there,” Newland said. “She did great every inning but one. They strung a couple in a row together, but we made some plays.”
Greenville added two insurance runs in the sixth. Oswalt singled to open the inning, freshman Jordyn McMullen drove her in with an RBI single, and Kendall Cromwell followed with a run-scoring double to make it 11-4.
Shaffer finished the complete-game win, allowing six hits and four runs over seven innings while striking out six and walking one. She sealed the victory with her sixth strikeout of the night in a scoreless seventh.
“We got up early, and we kind of, I wouldn’t say left off the gas, but we had some opportunities to bust it open there, we just didn’t do it,” Newland said. “But it was a fun day, great win for us moving on 15-1, 9-0 in the league.”
Cromwell drove in three runs to pace Greenville, while McMullen, Blumenstock, Shaffer, and Force each had two hits.
One of the night’s notable adjustments came in the lineup, as Newland shifted senior catcher Kendal Cromwell to third base and inserted freshman Jordyn McMullen behind the plate.
“At the beginning of the year, I said there were four or five kids who had the chance to be like the other kids next year, and obviously Jordyn has inserted herself right away,” Newland said. “She is big raw piece of clay, and we’re going to mold her into an unbelievable softball player. Love her size and love her pop. She’s a raw, raw young kid who is going to be awesome. She’s a big-time talent.”
Defensively, Greenville was flawless, committing no errors and continuing a season-long trend of clean fielding. For the season, the Lady Wave have limited total errors to nine in 16 games played.
“Lily Brubaker made a couple, Leah Force made two or three great plays, Kendall Cromwell made a couple neat ones, BK (Bri Klosterman) in center made a few great plays, love her controlling the area,” Newland said.
For the second straight game, college coaches were in attendance scouting Greenville talent, something Newland believes reflects the strength of the entire program.
“The last two games, Monday and Wednesday, we had head coaches here, and it’s good for the kids, good for the program,” Newland said. “They come to watch one or two kids, and they end up seeing 20 kids on both teams. Just a neat place to be. Like the Mayor (Jeff Whitaker said earlier – Greenville, a good place to come play softball.”
As the season enters its second half, Newland likes where his team stands.
“It’s been fun, it’s going to be great, and just like where we’re at, getting better every day, and we’re enjoying the process,” he said. “It’s a journey — it’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon, and we’re going to play for the next seven weeks.”
BOX SCORE:
123 456 7 R H E
100 300 0 4 6 3 Tippecanoe
324 002 X 11 15 0 Greenville
