Softball: Rago, Elgin take down Larkin again
It was just 2 weeks ago that Elgin outslugged crosstown rival Larkin 15-6. On Wednesday the visiting Maroons picked up right where they left off and continued their dominance over the Royals with a 14-4 Upstate Eight Conference River Division softball win in 5 innings.
The Maroons, who have won 3 of their last 4, pounded out 18 hits. Everyone in the starting lineup had at least one hit. Starting pitcher Jessica Rago not only went the distance in the circle to pick up her third straight win, but also helped herself at the plate going 2-for-3 with 3 RBI and a pair of runs scored. Leadoff hitter Rachel Turner was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored and a pair of RBI. Madison Latham also had 3 hits with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
"We were very consistent at the plate," Elgin coach Dr. Nick Bumbales said. "We were making good contact. I think getting ahead in the count was the big key. We put the ball in play and let things happen. The hitting got contagious."
The Maroons (6-17, 3-9) came out swinging in the first inning when they scored 4 runs on 6 singles. The first run came home on an error and then Cassidy Sell, Dannah Perryman, and Anya Herrera all followed with consecutive RBI singles. The Maroons added 3 runs in the second inning, 2 more in the third, and 5 in the fifth inning.
Rago drove home a run on a ground ball in the third and 2 more in the fourth with a single. Turner also had a 2-run double in the fourth and Latham had an RBI single.
"We were being very patient," Rago said. "We were just looking for good pitches to hit and when we got them we hit them into the gaps.'
Rago (6-10) had a 19-inning scoreless streak broken when she surrendered a pair of runs in the third inning, but still scattered just 7 hits to cruise to the win.
"Getting the lead helped," Rago said. "I just had to focus on throwing the ball over the plate and let my fielders make the plays.'
The Maroons did not commit an error and Rago, who has an 8:1 strikeout-to -walk ratio on the season, did not walk a batter while striking out 8. She has now struck out 28 batters without allowing a walk in her last 3 wins.
"We have really been playing good defense the past few games and Jessica has really found a rhythm," Bumbales said. "She's working ahead in the count and getting good movement on her pitches.'
The bright spots for Larkin were Samantha Wahl, Haley Bohne, and Ciara Alonso. Wahl went 2-for-3 with a double, triple, 2 runs scored, and an RBI. Bohne was 3-for-3 with an RBI double. Alonso cracked a pair of doubles and scored twice.
Hannah Gross took the loss for the Royals.
"We were going to need more than three hitters to keep up with Elgin today," Larkin coach Anne Vogt said. "They came out swinging hard and deserved to win. The only thing you can try to do is swing back harder and we couldn't quite do that."