By RANDY WILKER
EL Sports Correspondent

The St. Marys Roughrider  softball team got off to a good start and kept it up as they defeated the Celina Bulldogs 14-0 in a WBL contest that was moved from Celina to K. C. Geiger Park.

“Going into this game I told the girls to go up and be aggressive at the plate,” Riders head coach Sue Grothause said. “I also told them that they have to be patient at the plate. The kids did a good job and set the tone early on. It seems like when our kids start to hit it is like a chain reaction. When somebody sees somebody do something it gives them confidence and that is what we need.”

The first three batters for the Riders began things with singles, including a bunt single from Megan Schlater and a single by Bailey

Smith to drive home Samantha Davenport. Following a ground out, Schlater came home to score on a ground out back to the pitcher by Macy Ferrall and Kayla Thornsberry singled up the middle to drive home Smith and give the Riders a 3-0 lead.

In the second inning the Riders almost tripled the score as they talliedfive runs all with two outs. Davenport
started things with a double and Schlater followed with a single. Dwenger came home on a single by Smith and

Schlater came home on a single from Erica Thornsberry. Ferrall cleared the bases when she smacked a homerun to center field to increase the lead to 8-0.

“It was a chain reaction for us,” Grothause said. “Once somebody gets hitting for us they get confidence
in themselves and they say if she can do it I can do it and with two outs we can still score runs.”

The long ball was back for the Riders in the top of the third when Smith hit a two-run homerun that scored her and Davenport who had singled. The next batter didn’t waste anytime as Erica Thornsberry launched a solo homerun almost the same spot as Smith to increase the lead to 11-0.

The fourth inning saw the Riders add a run. Kayla Thornsberry singled and Carrie Schlater reached on a bunt single and Kendra Solomon reached on an error to load the bases. Thornsberry came home when Ashley King grounded to first.

“We had some laser shots tonight,” Grothause said. “Not taking anything away from Celina but I knew her kids wouldn’t quit especially after the first inning when they loaded the bases. I knew she was going to bunt and try to make things happen. We executed on defense tonight. We could have laid back on our heels after we scored three runs in the first inning, but the girls stayed focused.”

In the fifth inning the Riders concluded the scoring on RBI singles from Carrie Schlater and King for the 14-0 victory.
“I can’t say enough about our defense this year,” Grothause said. “The last couple of years our defense has been our strong point. I think Kayla is a believer also. She knows that if she doesn’t strike somebody out she knows she has a good defense behind her and that is a plus for us and her.”

The Riders (11-4, 3-1) travel to Coldwater on Thursday and entertain Van Wert on Friday starting at 4:30.