Nothing pleases a softball coach more than to see every starter get at least one hit in a game.
All nine Seymour starters had at least one hit, and the Owls totaled 12 in topping Henryville 12-2 in five innings Tuesday.
Owls Coach Jerry Burton said, “When you can get everyone in the lineup getting at least one hit, you’re going to put some runs on the board. That’s our most consistent hitting game of the year.”
The Owls scored two runs each in the second and third innings, and after the Hornets scored twice in the top of the fourth, the Owls sent 13 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fourth and scored eight runs.
Stephanni Kleber led off the second inning with a single, Sydney Stewart followed with a sacrifice but was safe on an error and was credited with an RBI and Matte Nicholson drove in a run on an infield hit.
Alyssa Perry led off the third with a double and scored on a double by Kleber, and Stewart was safe on an error with Kleber scoring.
Camryn Sterling and Stewart both had a two-run single in the fourth, and Kynadee Warner, Perry, Grace Meyer, Kleber and Kendall Allman also had RBIs in the inning.
Kendrick Sterling went the distance on the mound for the Owls. She struck out seven, didn’t walk any and allowed three hits and both runs.
Previously, she had pitched a complete game against Scottsburg and one inning against Madison.
“I thought my screwball was really working for the high-and-in-pitch to get under their hands. I threw five different pitches,” she said in trying to keep the Henryville batters off-balance. “I think I did a nice job.”
Burton agreed.
“Kendrick did a real nice job of keeping their batters off-balance tonight,” he said.
Sterling said she was glad to see the offensive explosion.
“The offense really helped me out. I think the key has been getting everyone in our lineup to hit the ball,” she said. “I think for our pitchers, we need to work on getting ahead, which we have done, and we’ve thrown really well so far.”
Kleber led the offense with three hits as she had a single in the second and doubles in the third and fourth. She scored three runs and had one RBI.
Perry was on base four times with two hits, including a double, a fielder’s choice and an error, and she drove in one run and scored two, and Sydney Stewart was on base three times on a sacrifice, an error and a hit and had four RBI.
Burton said the Owls have played solid on offense and defense and have had good pitching in getting off to the 4-0 start.
“We’ve put up quite a few runs if you look at our scores,” he said. “We’ve been playing well, and that is what it takes to get off to a good start.”
The Owls will travel to Silver Creek on Thursday and will be home to Jeffersonville on Saturday.