MTZ softball goes 3-1 last week

By BLAKE FAITH
Staff Writer

The Mt. Zion softball team went 3-1 last week winning a doubleheader against Taylorville and a non-conference game against Monticello.

In the second game of the Braves’ doubleheader against Taylorville, the Braves took an early 3-0 lead. That lead was erased in the top of the fourth inning when the Braves gave up four runs off two home-runs.

The Braves’ regrouped and scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth.

This group is figuring out how to fight,” Head coach Greg Blakey said. They weren’t there last year, we were young and we didn’t we didn’t do that last year. This group’s a little differently and have a little more fighter’s mentality. And they’re not afraid to battle back. So it was good to see that.”

The Braves got base runners on base when Gwen Bender and Sierra Hiser got on base with a bunt each.

“You know we were slow to start with the bats,” Coach Blakey said. “ I think it was a little late in that first game. The bats came on fire a little bit and we hit the ball well after we started hitting, but it was slow to get there. We did a good job hunting and opened up some doors for us hitting wise.”

Audri Johnson brought them both across home plate with a two RBI double. Kayla Schnippel ripped a ball to the centerfield wall to bring Johnson across home plate with a Rbi double to give the Braves a 6-4 lead. The Braves scored another run to give them a 7-4 lead.

Johnson drove in another RBI in the fifth inning when she brought Kennedy Highley across home plate to give the Braves an 8-4 lead. Johnson finished the game 3-for-5 at the plate with three hits and three RBIs.

The Braves sealed the victory in the bottom of the sixth when Dakota Harrison ripped a hit to the left-field wall that brought Schnippel and Johnson across home-plate.

The Braves improve to 7-4 overall on the season. This week they will play Normal Community and Rochester.

“Hopefully we keep this momentum going,” Coach Blakey said. “It’s a big week next week and a busy week next week. Hopefully we’ll keep this momentum going and build on the things that we did well today and kind of learn from our mistakes today as well.”