Ark Valley News - Hornet softball wins three straight

Hornet softball wins three straight
By Randy Fisher
Last Updated: April 12, 2019

The Valley Center High School softball team is on a three-game winning streak after starting the season 0-5.

The Hornets swept Andover April 9 after splitting games with Andover Central last week. The Hornets are 3-5 (2-1 in the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League II).

The streak started at home April 5.

After losing the first game 14-6 to Andover Central, the Hornets bounced back to capture the nightcap 7-2.

"It takes a lot of pressure off, at least until Tuesday," coach Corey Jones said of Valley's first win of the season.

"All we did is make the routine plays and hit the balls that were strikes," he said of the second game. "We made the routine plays and they played as a team and they picked each other up. It was awesome."

The Jaguars struck for five runs against Emma Anderson in the first inning of Game 1 and never looked back. Three of those runs crossed on a home run by Kate Paulsen.

Valley Center fought back in the bottom of the second. With one out, Mikayla Bozarth walked, Cheyenne Blackwood was hit by a pitch and Macy Ostrom singled to load the bases. Fantasia Sams plated a pair with a two-bagger.

Bozarth caught both games and was on base seven times. The newcomer to Valley Center seems to be fitting in well.

"I was kinda nervous coming in," she said. "I play with some of these girls on my summer team. I felt really welcome, so it was really nice coming here."

Andover Central added three runs in the top of the third to make it 8-2.

Valley tried to keep pace but fell short. Mallory Feather opened the third with a double down the left-field line. She scored on singles to right by Eliza Grady and Anderson to make it 8-3.

Blackwood led off the fourth with a double and scored on Ostrom's single to make it 8-4.

Central put the game away with four in the sixth and two in the seventh.

The Hornets got two in the bottom of the seventh for the final score. Grady singled and scored on an Anderson double. Anderson came home when Sams singled to right.

Grady had three hits, while Ostrom and Sams each had two. Sams drove home three runs, and Anderson knocked in two.

"There were some routine balls we didn't make in the first game," Jones said. "It allowed them to get run after run after run. If you don't make the routine plays, you struggle."

Game 2 saw Blackwood pick up her first win of the season.

"Every inning Cheyenne got more confident just because her team made the routine plays," Jones said. "That was pretty exciting to see all that happen."

It helped for Blackwood to work with a lead. Kelsey Brunton led off the first with a double and scored a wild pitch. Blackwood was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to bring in Grady for a 2-0 lead.

Central tied the score with its only runs of the game in the third.

Valley wasted no time getting those runs back in the home half of the third. With one out, Bozarth was hit by a pitch, Blackwood singled and Ostrom beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Sams singled down the left-field line to score two for a 4-2 lead.

A double by Ostrom in the fourth scored Anderson and Bozarth.

Blackwood helped her own cause with an RBI single in the sixth for the final score.

Feather, Blackwood and Ostrom each collected two hits. Sams had two RBI in the game and five in the doubleheader.

After pounding out 20 hits in the first game, Andover Central managed just three scratch hits against Blackwood. The freshman surrendered two runs, one unearned, and had only two balls hit to the outfield.

"I think my screw was really working but overall what was working was my teammates," she said. "I have to put it all on them. They were getting balls that I was scared were going to drop, but they were there and they got all of them."

Blackwood looked comfortable in just her third varsity game.

"I felt pretty confident," she said. "I knew after my team had been practicing for so long, we're getting better day by day. I had confidence in my teammates, which made me more confident, and it just worked out."

"I love catching Cheyenne," Bozarth said. "She hits her spots so well, which makes my job easier. It's just awesome."

The Hornets rapped out 20 hits on the night.

"They believe in swinging at first-pitch strike," Jones said. "They always thought it was normal to take until you got a strike. That's crazy because that is sometimes the best pitch in that at-bat. Other than 3-0, if you take a fast ball down the middle, you're going to hear it from me."

Valley Center beat Andover on the road 16-1 and 9-4.

The Hornets didn't mess around in the first game, starting with a seven-run first inning and adding eight in the second. Valley scored a run in the third and held Andover scoreless after a one-run first to run-rule the Trojans in three innings.

Blackwood had three hits, including a home run, and four RBIs to lead the Hornets.

Blackwood wasn't alone in going yard. Brunton and Bozarth added to the hit parade. The Hornets combined for 13 hits in the game.

Meanwhile, Anderson had her best start of the season and picked up her first win, giving up just four hits and one earned run.

Valley Center committed no defensive errors.

The scenario was a little different in the second game April 9. The Hornets fell behind early and played catch up for what seemed the entire game, finally taking control in the fifth and winning 9-4.

Valley Center trailed 3-0 after two innings. The Hornets scored two in the third as Ostrom started the inning with a single. Pinch runner Jordan Shaffer scored on a Brunton triple to left. Mallory Feather knocked in Brunton with a single to center.

Trailing by a run, The Hornets went in front in a wild fifth inning. Feather hit another RBI single and Brunton stole home with two outs. Anderson then hit a two-run homer for a 6-3 advantage.

Feather added an insurance run in the seventh with an RBI double to center and Anderson followed with another two-run home run.

Andover went down swinging in its final chance.

Brunton and Feather had three hits each.

Blackwood went the distance in the circle. She struck out 10 batters and walked just two. She gave up seven hits, but only two earned runs.

Next up, Valley Center will host Eisenhower April 12 and play at Ark City April 16.

JV wins tourney — Valley had just three hits in losing twice to Andover Central, 10-0 and 16-12.

The Hornets won the Wichita North JV tournament April 6.

In bracket play, Valley no-hit Wichita Southeast in winning 19-0. Heidi Meyer gave up two hits in defeating Hutchinson Trinity 11-1.

In a semifinal game, Brunton's grand slam powered the Hornets to an 18-3 win over Wichita Northwest.

Blackwood allowed four hits in blanking Newton 9-0 in the championship game, while striking out nine and walking one.

"The JV team played amazing over the weekend to secure the JV championship," coach Corey Carter said. "I was extremely proud of how the girls handled themselves during the games as they were focused and ready to play each game. Throughout the day, I felt as if the girls had a great day being around each other and had an opportunity to bond with each other as a team."

The Hornets followed the tournament with a doubleheader sweep at Andover April 9.

Valley Center won the first game 33-5, scoring 18 runs in the first inning. The Hornets won the nightcap 11-2.

Andover Central 14,

Valley Center 6

AC 503 004 2 — 14 20 0

VC 021 100 2 — 6 11 2

Orlowski and Cline; Anderson, Edwards (6) and Bozarth. W — Orlowski. L — Anderson (0-3). 2B — AC: Flahive 2, Dodds. VC: Sams, Feather, Blackwood, Anderson. HR — AC: Paulsen.

Valley Center 7,

Andover Central 2

AC 002 000 0 — 2 3 1

VC 202 201 x — 7 9 1

Boline and Cline; Blackwood and Bozarth. W — Blackwood (1-2). L — Boline. 2B — VC: Brunton.

Valley Center 16, Andover 1

VC 781 xxx x — 16 13 0

AND 100 xxx x — 1 4 3

W — Anderson. L — Forney. 2B — VC: Anderson, Grady, Groves, Ostrom (2), Brunton, Blackwood. A: Forney. HR — VC: Brunton, Blackwood, Bozarth.

Valley Center 9, Andover 4

VC 002 040 3 — 9 10 2

AND 300 010 0 — 4 7 0

W — Blackwood. L — Eubank. 2B — VC: Feather, Brunton. A: Forney. 3B — VC: Brunton, Blackwood. HR — VC: Anderson (2). A: Eubank.