Triton Never Saw It Coming [VIDEO]
BOURBON – It was almost over before it even started.
Before many of the fans even settled into their bleacher seats or lawn chairs, South Central had already put the proverbial dagger in Triton. A six-run top of the first inning stunned the host Lady Trojans as South Central used the momentum to ride to a 7-2 victory at the Class 1-A Triton Softball Regional Tuesday night.
Nine batters, five hits, two errors and a home run all lined the opening column for the Satellites as Triton’s overall showing looked a lot like a couple of its sectional mini meltdowns. The homer, a two-run blast from freshman eight hitter Breana Brewer, really pulled any wind from Triton’s sails as the celebration was underway as the scoreboard read 6-0 visitors.
“That’s something we’ve done all year. We like to strike first,” said first-year South Central head coach Tony Wallace. “Actually being the visitors doesn’t really phase us that much. We like to come out and strike blood first. If we can get our first runner or two on, we’ll move them around because we’ve got the big sticks up after that. We’re a happy camper.”
The lead was more than enough for hard-throwing sophomore Savanah Becker to buckle down. Retiring Triton’s first 11 batters, Becker only allowed two singles until the sixth when Triton finally snapped out of its funk.
Zoee Stephen led off the sixth with a double and advanced the third on a throwing error. Becker hit Taytum Hargrave with a pitch and Kayla Kreft followed with an RBI single to plate Triton’s first run. Hargrave would come around to score on a bloop single from Lexee Lemler, but the Lady Trojans would inch no closer.
Video provided by Orion Lemler of Triton Athletics
Becker mowed down the final three outs in the seventh in order, sending the Satellites to the semi-state for just the second time in the school’s history, the other in 2007.
“It didn’t shock me that we got up that fast, but it did shock me a little that we just got six runs in the first inning of a regional,” Becker said. “I was kind of nervous before the game started, but once the game started rolling, I was perfectly fine. I threw the first pitch and I was good.”
Becker finished with a very solid pitching line of seven innings, five hits, two earned runs, no walks and five punchouts.
The lack of offense was somewhat troublesome for Steve McBride’s Triton side. Having built a .342 team batting average heading into the regional, Triton’s five hits were the lowest since May 20. McBride, however, gave credit where credit was due in a fine outing from Becker and South Central.
“That’s a good team,” McBride said. “We played them last year and they are better than they were last year. They’re a good 1-A school. And we knew that.
“I knew it was going to be a tough game.”
The Lady Trojans close at 20-11 and see the close of eight senior’s high school careers, including starting pitcher Brycelyn Garbison, who threw six innings, allowing 11 hits but just two earned runs.
For the Satellites (22-7), Morgan White was 3-for-3 at the plate with two runs scored. Jessica Gilmore had two RBIs and Kayla Sommers led off with two hits and scored a run.
Up next for the squad from Union Mills is defending state champion Josie Wood and North Miami, an 18-0 winner Tuesday at home against Westville in its regional. North Miami and South Central will play at 11 a.m. Saturday in the first game of the Clinton Prairie Semi-state. Tri and Carroll will play at 1 p.m., Carroll returning to the semi-state after losing to North Miami in the semi-state championship a year ago.