In recent years the St. Mary’s Ryken High School softball team has been viewed as perennial bridesmaids in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, but this season the Knights may finally have the chance to get to altar.
Tuesday afternoon St. Mary’s Ryken (5-0) continued its perfect start to the season by making quick work of host Bishop McNamara, 17-1, in five innings in an early WCAC contest for both teams. One day after St. Mary’s Ryken edged Calvert 2-0, the Knights collected 17 hits, benefited from 10 Mustangs’ errors and broke things open courtesy of a 12-run third inning.
St. Mary’s Ryken starting pitcher Emily Zagrodnichek blanked the Mustangs on one hit and one walk in three complete innings then reliever Natalie Nichols allowed one unearned run in two innings. Eight of the nine Knights’ starters scored in the 12-run third, with sophomore catcher Ava Chadwick collecting two hits in that inning after opening the scoring one inning earlier with a solo homer.
“That third inning definitely took a lot of the pressure off,” Zagrodnichek said. “Everybody contributed to the scoring that inning. When everyone is hitting, those innings are a lot of fun. It’s been a good start [to the season] and our goal is to get back to the WCAC championship game.”
On Tuesday, Chadwick was among several hitting stars for the Knights. She blasted a solo home run in the second then had two hits and scored twice in the third. Myla Harding opened the third with a solo homer then later singled and scored in the frame and finished the day with three hits, while Emma McDonald, McKenzie Gorczyca, Zagrodnichek and Nichols each had two hits.
“I was just looking for something good to hit and drive,” said Chadwick, who went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two more driven in. “Everyone hit the ball well today. When you win, it’s not just one person it’s a team effort. Emily was hitting her spots today.”
After failing to score in the first, Chadwick opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second when two trailing batters reached on errors but failed to score. St. Mary’s Ryken, however, wasted few chances in the third, scoring 12 runs on 10 hits and benefited from five McNamara errors that accounted for 10 unearned runs that frame.
The Knights added an unearned run in the fourth then capped the outing by scoring three runs on five hits in the fifth when Liddy Wilkerson, Nyla Brewer and Gorczyza each had run-scoring singles. Zaggrodniceck was perfect until yielding a two-out walk and infield single in the third.
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