Last week the Avery varsity softball team was busy with three games in four days as the regular season winds down.On Tuesday, May 4th the Lady Vikings hosted the Lady Cougars from Mountain Heritage. The Big Red kept the contest close through the first three innings, but offensive outbursts with five runs in the fourth and four runs in the sixth propelled the Cougars to a 14-4 win in six innings.
Avery scored all its runs in the top of the sixth inning. Becca Biggerstaff, Amber Clark, Justina Rieger, and Jessica Banner each reached base safely in the frame and came around to score as both Michelle Cuthbertson and Brooke Buchanan kept the inning alive with RBI hits.
In the junior varsity contest, Avery played a better game than their earlier meeting with Heritage, but the Lady Cougars still managed to escape with an 8-2 triumph.
“The girls played really well against Heritage. Their girls play year-round and they beat us pretty soundly the first time. We had some moments where we played really well. Half the Heritage varsity team plays on their JV team also, which makes it really tough.”
Last Wednesday, May 5th, the Lady Vikings took on the Cloudland Lady Highlanders and honored their four senior softball players with flowers, plaques, the players’ numbers in chalk at their playing position, and with much celebration. Jessica Banner, Amber Clark, Kaylea Davis, and Haley Hicks were recognized, and they and teammates played in decorative t-shirts to commemorate the afternoon. The Lady Vikings were unable to pull out the victory, however, as Cloudland took an 8-4 win.
The Lady Landers scored once in the top of the first for an early lead, but the Lady Vikings rallied to take a 2-1 lead after one inning. Seniors Kaylea Davis and Amber Clark each rapped base hits and were brought around to score to snag the advantage.
The score remained unchanged until the third inning when Cloudland added another pair of runs in it and the fourth frame for a 6-2 advantage. Avery during the same time was struggling to get on base and generate offense.
In the bottom of the sixth the Vikings plated a pair of runs to close the margin to 6-4. Biggerstaff and Clark each singled and scored in the frame to keep things close.
Cloudland added a pair of important insurance runs in the top of the seventh and held Avery at bay to provide for the final margin.
“We’re playing better softball, but we’re still struggling at key times to hit the ball when we’re up at the plate. There are moments when we play really well, and there are moments we just lose it. We have to do a better job of avoiding a big inning against us. We fought hard in the last couple of innings,” head coach Stephen Bunger said after the game. “The seniors have been great. I’ve enjoyed getting to know the girls this season. They’re all good players who have worked hard this year. I know the season hasn’t been great, but they always play hard every time out.”
In junior varsity action, the Lady Vikings exploded to rout the Lady Landers by a 14-1 final score. The contest was knotted at 1-1 after one inning, but Avery rallied for a huge second inning en route to the win. Brittany Brewer pitched one of her strongest performances of the season as the Lady Landers struggled to catch up to her fastball.“It was nice for the junior varsity to go out there and get a little redemption after the senior night game,” Coach Bunger said. “We just played a really great game and
Last Friday the Lady Vikings journeyed to Ledger for a game against rival Mitchell. Avery battled hard, but came up short in a 4-3 defeat.
Avery scored the potential tying run at home plate when Jessica Banner was waved around third on a base hit, but the umpire called Banner out on a bang-bang play at the plate, a call that proved to be the difference in the game.
“We were a little shaky with some walks and passed balls at the start of the game, but it wasn’t anything we couldn’t come back from,” Coach Bunger stated. “We held them for the most part through the whole game, and Becca settled down and pitched the ball well. We just weren’t able to get the fourth and fifth runs across the plate.”
In junior varsity action the Lady Vikings picked up another victory with a narrow 17-6 win at Mitchell. “We played like offensive machines. Everybody was swinging and hitting the ball. I believe every player may have gotten a hit for the game,” Coach Bunger said after the win. “We ran the bases and made good decisions on the base paths.”
Paige Henderson got the call inside the circle, and she gave a solid performance to help boost the Big Red to the win.
“Paige has had some tough outings this season, but she has been learning through it all and pitched really well. She gave up a few runs late, but not enough to hurt us. She pitched a great game,” Coach Bunger said. “I believe that Avery is going to be a tough team to beat in softball in the near future. The girls are playing hard, and with more chances to play during the summer and fall, I think they will keep improving and be tough to beat.”
The Lady Vikings will complete the regular season schedule with a home game on Thursday against one of the top 2A softball teams in the state, the Owen Warlassies.
