Perfect Pirates roll Tigers, 13-2
Apr. 13—WAVERLY — This battle of Southern Ohio Conference Division II undefeateds turned one-sided soon enough.
That's because, thanks to four home runs including a Rileigh Lang grand slam, the Wheelersburg Pirates' perfect start to the 2021 season remained intact on Monday — as the Pirates posted a 13-2 triumph at previously-undefeated Waverly.
While Wheelersburg scored a single run in the opening inning — and followed that up with six runs in the second, four more in the third and finally two in the fifth — Waverly only scored its two points in the fourth frame for an 11-2 deficit at the time.
With the victory, the Pirates are now 7-0 and 5-0 in the SOC II, while the Tigers fell to 5-1 and 4-1 in the division.
The Pirates pounded out 11 hits, four of which were home runs.
Rylie Hughes hammered a pair of two-run bombs in the third and fifth frames, Lang smashed a grand slam in the second, and Boo Sturgill smacked a two-run blast in the third.
Sturgill and Haley Myers had two hits apiece along with Hughes' home runs, as Sturgill later singled in the fifth.
Myers doubled in the third and singled in the first — as Sydney Skiver, Laney Eller, Andi Jo Howard and Kiera Kennard notched singles apiece.
Sturgill led in runs scored with three.
Howard had plenty of run support, pitching all five innings in the mercy-rule shortened win.
She struck out five and walked three, allowing two earned runs in the fourth on two total hits in throwing 61 pitches.
Abbie Marshall mashed a two-run home run for the Tigers' two points, as their only other hit was a fifth-inning single from Faith Thornsberry.
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