DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
DECATUR – There was no hangover from the nine-inning loss to Jay County Tuesday when the Bellmont Braves met Bluffton Thursday night as MaryKate Scheumann led the team to a 15-4 victory with three solid innings from the circle and a pair of hits to go along with four RBI.
It was an early deficit for the visiting Tigers, who were playing Bellmont a day later than scheduled due to the violent weather Wednesday night, as they dug themselves an early hole and trailed 12-1 after just two innings.
Giving Piper Baker the night off against the Tigers, coach Mindy Buuck turned to her freshman hurler to get the Braves off to a good start and put the extra-inning loss behind them. Scheumann did what she needed, walking just one batter and throwing strikes to catcher Liz Bobay, who gave regular backstop Emily Bleke a breather also.
“I thought she did great as a freshman with her first start,” noted coach Buuck about her freshman. “We had some miscommunication with signs, but once we figured that out, she did a lot better.”
By the time the Tigers stepped in the batter’s box in the top of the fourth inning, the home team led by ten runs at 14-4 and Makenzie Mankey was handed the ball. Mankey used her first career varsity outing well, allowing no runs and just three hits while walking two and allowing the game to finish after 4.5 innings on the cold evening in Decatur.
Despite allowing a run in the top of the first, the Braves fired back with their potent top of the order, scoring two runs on consecutive hits by Emily Bleke, Aaliyah Faurote and Rachel Bleke off Lilly King.
A lack of control by King led to two more walks and Scheumann knocked in two of her runs with a single to center to help her own cause and give the Braves a 4-1 lead.
“I am impressed with her composure on the mound, being a freshman,” said Buuck. “She’s very confident and able to let things roll off her back. You don’t see that often in young players.”
After Scheumann set down the Tigers in order, it all fell apart for King and the Tigers. Errors, walks and three base hits from the bottom of the lineup loaded the bases for the top of the lineup and the Braves poured it on from there, scoring eight runs in the frame.
King did help herself by knocking in a run with a double between the Bleke sisters in left and center field and Bluffton scored twice more before Aaliyah Faurote made a nice grab to end the inning with the sharp throw to first.
One of the highlights of the night was a long triple to right center by senior Rachel Bleke, who came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Piper Baker.
Mankey struck out the final two batters of the night to secure the victory for the Braves, who moved to 1-1 on the season ahead of their Good Friday game at Garrett.