Seymour’s softball team scored three times in the first inning and held Henryville scoreless until the seventh inning to post a 4-1 win on the Seymour High School field Tuesday afternoon.
“I thought this was the best game we’ve put together, all day,” Owls first-year coach Jerry Burton said. “We scored runs early.”
The Owls jumped on Henryville senior right-hander Peyton Osterman early as they collected five hits in the first inning.
With one out, Haley Mobley doubled to center field.
When Rachel Kaufman flied out to right field, Mobley tagged up and went to third, and when the throw back to the infield was misplayed, Mobley scored.
Katie Suits followed with a single, and Kate Snook followed with a long home run to left field to make it a 3-0 game. It was her second home run of the season.
Faith Rebber and Haley Westfall followed with singles but they were left stranded.
Tori Snook doubled with one out in the bottom of the second inning. She stole third, and when the catcher’s throw went into left field, Snook scored the Owls’ final run.
Burton said the first inning was big for his team.
“Any time you can get off to a good start in fastpitch softball, you have the momentum and you’ll win games that way,” he said.
Rebber and Westfall both reached first base safely twice with hits in the first inning and walks in the sixth.
Otterbach allowed seven hits, had five strike outs and walked two.
“I thought Mikayla (Moore) did a great job pitching,” Burton said. “She was always ahead in the count. What happened, she didn’t allow them to put two hits together, ever, and that’s big. One hit won’t hurt you as long as you don’t string them together.”
Moore, a sophomore right-hander making her first varsity start on the mound, allowed six singles and a double. She had two strike outs and didn’t walk any.
The Owls backed Moore’s pitching with double plays in the first and fourth innings.
“Our defense was solid. I’m very pleased with this game,” Burton said.
The Owls (2-1) have won back-to-back games heading to Silver Creek on Thursday.
“I think we’re coming into it,” Burton said. “We just need to play games.”