GRAND RAPIDS—The Rock Ridge Thunder 18U softball team needed some time to find their footing on Monday night taking on Grand Rapids/Greenway, but managed to pull things together by night’s end to earn the 1-1 split.
Rock Ridge fell in the opener 7-3 before using a seven-run sixth inning in the second game to grab the 10-3 bounceback victory.
“I think we were all kind of just flat footed and tired,” 18U head coach Ashley Samargia said. All of us were feeling it a little bit, coaches included, after how hot it had been in the days leading up to Monday. It took us a little while to just get going.”
Mayme Scott took the loss in the pitcher’s circle in the first game but managed to strike out eight. The Thunder managed just five hits in the game.
“We couldn’t find our bats. We got under the ball a lot and had a few pop ups. Or we’d make really solid contact but it would go right to them. It was taking the wind out of our sails a little bit and we just couldn’t manufacture any runs.”
At the plate, Scott, Ayla Troutwine, Brynn Rozinka, Jersey Smith and Ellie Teasck all had a hit each.
“It was nice to have Ellie back after an ankle injury she had and she started an inning off real well for us with a hit to right field but then we just couldn’t follow that up after. It was like that all game.”
In the nightcap, Rock Ridge turned things around and used a big sixth inning to seal the deal on their way to a 10-3 win over GRG.
“Things just kind of came together for us a little bit more in that second game. Not to say we woke up but we just got off on a much better foot the second time.”
Kate Morley got the win in the circle for Rock Ridge, striking out nine along the way.
Troutwine was 3-3 at the plate while Brooklyn Smith, Morley and Madi Hadrava all went 2-3. Maddy Bartovich added a hit.
“That one good inning really was what set us up. It’s probably much closer without that but we stuck it out and had some patience at the plate and it paid off.”
With the story of her team this summer seemingly coming down to a slow start followed by a hot second game, Samargia hopes her team comes ready to play from the first pitch of game one next week when the Thunder take on Cherry in the final Arrowhead League doubleheader of the season.
“That’s been the story of the summer for us so hopefully we can turn that around next Monday. Cherry is always fun to play so that’ll be an exciting one.”
First pitch is set for 5:15 p.m. Monday at Seppi Field.
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