For The Tribune
COLUMBUS
It was one of the best hitting outputs of the season for the Seymour softball team Tuesday night.
The Owls collected 15 total hits, including a Kate Snook two-run homer in the third inning to put away host Columbus North 11-0 in six innings.
The win felt extra special for Seymour coach Jerry Burton, who faced a former team that he once coached. Burton gave his team credit for coming up with big hits at the right time.
“(Snook) has been hitting the ball very well for us, but a lot of our kids are starting to hit the ball really well,” Burton said. “I’ve always said that once we get all nine of our kids and whoever is playing a hit that we would be pretty tough to handle. It seems like we are starting to come around pretty good.”
Seymour (4-1) didn’t waste a moment in lighting up the scoreboard. After Tori Snook and Haley Mobley singled to open the game, Rachel Kaufman drove them in with a triple. Lo Schmidt drove in Kaufman with a single for a 3-0 lead.
In the third, Faith Rebber led off with a double and later scored on a Schmidt double. Kate Snook stepped up to the plate and blasted the two-run shot for a 7-0 advantage. Later in the inning, Anna Bullard singled and scored on a Kaufman double to make it 8-0.
As hot as the bats were for the Owls, the pitching of starter Mikayla Moore was just as good. She had a no-hitter going into the fifth inning until it was broken up by a Bailey Lofton double.
The Seymour defense allowed only two Bull Dog baserunners the entire game. The other baserunner was on via error.
“(Moore) pitches very well,” Burton said. “She gets ahead in the count. She gets them into a lot of ground balls. She has been great for us this season.”
Leading 9-0, Burton started subbing in girls in the fifth and sixth innings. The Owls were able to pick up two more runs to end the game early.
“We’re heading in the right direction,” Burton said. “We have several games coming up against teams that are going to be tough games for us, so it seems like we are peaking at the right time.”