DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
Starfires finish regular season with three wins in two days
Jessie O’Dell and the South Adams Starfires are heading into this week’s 2A Sectional at Manchester with a three-game winning streak after beating Snider Friday and sweeping Churubusco in a doubleheader Saturday.
“After the way we played on Wednesday against Wapahani,” noted O’Dell after Saturday’s sweep, “we needed to not only win but play well and win.”
The Starfires played a clean game with no errors and scored ten runs in the first inning on their way to an 18-2 win at home against the Panthers Friday.
Bekah Patterson was 2 for 3 with four RBI and three runs scored and a triple to lead the South Adams attack.
Peyton Pries and Reagan Beitler split pitching duties as O’Dell attempted to take the big Starfire lead and save Pries for the doubleheader Saturday.
Beitler did not allow a hit in her two innings of work.
Snider’s efforts were plagued by poor control from their pitchers, who issued 13 walks in just four innings of work. Macy Pries, Peyton Pries and Sofia Schwartz all drew two free passes apiece.
The team was set to host an invitational Saturday but had to settle for a doubleheader against the Eagles due to weather. O’Dell pointed out that Thursday’s off day was the first time the team had practiced on its own diamond since April because of the wild weather this spring.
The Stars led 5-0 after a Bekah Patterson home run in the second inning and 8-3 later in the first game and held on for an 8-6 victory in game one. Gracy Bixler started the game and went four innings before handing the ball over to Pries, who allowed two unearned runs and took care of the end of the game.
Patterson was 2 for 4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Macy Pries had two hits, including a double.
Kenzie Neuenschwander had a triple and three RBI.
In the second game, South Adams and Busco traded the lead until the visitors scored six times in the fourth to take a 10-4 lead. The Starfires came all the way back to win 13-11 with a walk-off, pinch-hit double to score Patterson and Peyton Pries.
Peyton drove in five despite having just one hit. She had two sacrifice flies with sister Macy getting on base ahead of her with a three-hit game.
Reagan Beitler homered to cut the lead to 11-8 in the bottom of the fifth. Four batters later, Pries cleared the bases with her double.
“I told the team after the game that I was proud to be coaching them,” said their coach. “They didn’t quit and they handled themselves well.”
Busco scored their runs off Beitler and Pries, but Bixler threw three perfect innings to win the game in the circle and at the plate.
“Busco was a good hitting team,” said O’Dell. “They put the ball in play and forced us to play defense. I thought our kids responded well and did a nice job with our situational defense.”
The Starfires’ regular season ended with a 16-9 record. They face Bluffton Monday night at 5:30 p.m. in the opening game of the sectional, with the winner set to face Adams Central Tuesday at the same time.
“This is obviously a big week ahead. I knew with the big roster change we had from last season that we would be a work in progress. We have been working all season so that we would be playing our best softball for this week.”