Stars hold off Raider charge (04/10/07)

BERNE - The Raiders came charging back, but Ashton Morgan and the South Adams Starfires were able to hold them off.

Southern Wells scored four times in the final two innings, but SAHS managed to survive the late onslaught for a 5-4 victory Monday in its softball season opener.

Ashton Morgan picked up the win for the Starfires against their Allen County Athletic Conference rival, allowing the four runs - three earned - on seven hits. She struck out 11 and walked three.

Morgan was also one of the leaders for South Adams at the plate as she and Jana Beitler each finished with two hits. Beitler had two runs and two stolen bases, and Morgan finished with a pair of RBIs.

Baseball doubled up

Also playing against Southern Wells Monday, the Starfires gave up five runs in the fifth inning and six more in the seventh in a 14-7, season-opening defeat.

South Adams trailed throughout, but pulled within 8-6 after scoring four times in the fifth inning and once more in the sixth. But the Raiders offense kicked in again in the final frame to pull away.

Daniel Bollenbacher suffered the defeat, although only one of the five runs against him was earned. He gave up three hits and four walks while striking out seven in 41/3 innings.

Southern Wells also tagged Andrew Caffee for eight runs, none of which were earned.

Bollenbacher did everything he could to help his cause, ripping two home runs as part of a three-hit day. He racked up more than half of his team's RBIs with four, and also scored twice.

Jordan Sharp finished with two hits, including a double, and two RBIs, and Caffee had two hits and two runs.[[In-content Ad]]