DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
BERNE – They nearly had to shut down traffic on US 27 Saturday afternoon the way the ball was flying in Berne Saturday.
Aided by a stiff and constant wind toward right field, the South Adams Starfires out-slugged the Norwell Knights and took both games of a Saturday doubleheader, hitting three home runs each in 6-2 and 17-10 victories.
Norwell drew first blood in the home run derby with a bomb by shortstop Reese Frauhiger in a preview of what was to unfold over the next four hours. Her solo shot was the only run the Knights could muster until they scored again in the fifth, however, as Addie Baker allowed just four hits in a complete game victory.
The Starfires were not concerned with the long ball in the bottom half of the inning with the speed they have. Coach O’Dell’s team went bunt-bunt-bunt and the Stars had a 2-1 lead after just three batters.
After Baker got out of a couple of jams in the ensuing innings thanks to her infield defense, Tessa Bernard hit a shot to right center that easily carried the fence with the wind.
On the very next pitch, Kenzie Neuenschwander made it double trouble with a dinger of her own.
Bernard homered again in the bottom of the fifth inning, knocking in Bekah Patterson to give the game its final scoreline of 6-2.
Baker picked up three strikeouts in the victory, but most importantly, she kept the ball on the ground for much of the game and played to her defense’s strength.
The second game had a much different tone, with Norwell scoring early and building a lead before a monster rally by the home team in the sixth.
Sophia Schwartz and Neuenschwander had RBI hits in the bottom of the first to give South Adams a 2-1 lead, but Kara Brown homered for Norwell in the second and gave the Knights a 5-2 lead.
Starfire starter Gracy Bixler settled down in the third, but was knocked out of the game in the fifth, where Norwell went up 10-3. The Starfires made a good defensive play to get an out at home plate in that inning to limit the damage.
Addie Baker homered in the fourth and Bekah Patterson drove in two runs on a fly ball to center that was ruled an error to cut the lead to 9-6 after four innings.
The Starfires homered again in the bottom of the fifth, this time when Samantha Weigel hit one over the center field fence.
Addie Baker entered in relief of Bixler and did not allow a run, getting three of her seven outs by strikeout.
South Adams then proceeded to score nine runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to go from likely defeat to blowout victors.
Nearly every batter in the lineup scored a base hit and knocked in a run, but the highlight was a triple and a homer from Bekah Patterson, which came with the bases loaded for a grand slam.
Macy Pries had two hits and scored three runs on the day for South Adams.
The Starfires struck out just four times in the second contest.
South Adams faces a fairly light week now, with their next game not coming until Wednesday against New Haven.