Walks, key hits power FR

ANSONIA, Ohio — Walks plagued the Indians early in their season opener.

They were able to take advantage of free passes to turn the game in their favor.

The Fort Recovery High School softball team topped the Ansonia Tigers 14-6 in their season opener Monday thanks to a massive offensive performance that included a nine-run fourth inning fueled by five walks.

The Indians (1-0) broke the game open when they sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth inning. Kayla Heitkamp and Britney Tebee drew walks before right fielder Audra Bubp shot a ball past Ansonia’s first baseman to score both runners and put the Tribe in the lead for good. Another walk by Emma Will set up shortstop Cali Wendel to deliver her first RBI of the game.

Sophie Pearson drew yet another walk for Fort Recovery — the team racked up 11 in the game — before catcher Maddie Guggenbiller drove in a run with a ground out and left fielder Ava Schoen added an RBI single.

“The timely hit is really important,” Fort Recovery coach Carrie Schoen said. “Those timely hits were huge today.”

In addition to the singles from Bubp, Wendel and Schoen in the fourth inning, another of those timely hits came when Guggenbiller blasted a three-run home run in her first at bat of the season, after Wendel and Pearson drew walks in front of her.

After Fort Recovery’s three-run first inning, Ansonia fought back with four runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers worked starting pitcher Sophie Pearson for four walks in the inning and were also able to take advantage of an error, a wild pitch and a fielder’s choice.

“It’s hard for pitchers to pitch in these kinds of conditions,” coach Schoen said. “It’s really hard for our pitchers when they have mud they are trying to pitch through. They did a good job.”

The game quieted down in the second and third innings with only a total of three batters reaching base, all via walks.

The Tigers had one last push in them, which came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kinsey Hartzell recorded their first hit of the game when she smacked a solo home run to right field. Pearson then allowed two walks and one hit to load the bases before coach Schoen decided to bring in Jenna Homan. The freshman struck one out and walked in a run before getting out of the inning.

Homan held Ansonia hitless over the final 2/23 innings while striking out four batters.

“(The team) really encouraged me and that made me pretty happy,” Homan said. “All the work in practices really came together in that tough position.”

The Indians added to their lead in the sixth inning, scoring another five runs on a pair of walks, an error and a couple of base hits by Ava Grisez and Bubp.

Guggenbiller’s 2-for-4 effort with four RBIs and the home run led the way for the Indians. Wendel reached base five times and drove in three runs, and Bubp recorded two hits and three RBIs from the No. 9 sport in the order.

Pearson earned the win. She pitched 4 1/3 innings, striking out six while allowing six runs — three earned — on two hits and nine walks.

“Defense has always been a struggle for us just in general,” coach Schoen said. “It’s hard to practice defense when we are stuck inside for so long during the spring. The kids know we need to work on that.”

The Indians’ next game will be Friday, when the school will celebrate the opening of The LeFevre Family Baseball and Softball Complex with a home game against the Mississinawa Valley Blackhawks.

“I’m excited,” coach Schoen said about the team’s home opener. “Hopefully the weather will hold off. We’ve got another Darke County school and usually those Darke County teams do pretty well so it’ll be a tough matchup for sure but we’re excited.”