By Ben Stroup
The Olentangy softball team scored in four of its six trips to the plate, using a pair of three-run innings to knock off visiting Big Walnut 9-4 in its league and home opener Tuesday in Lewis Center.
The Braves bunted their way to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second, loading the bases thanks in part to back-to-back bunt singles by Kristen Bartel and Olivia Gregory.
Sophie Low, who reached on an error to start the inning, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Joce McBurney-Buell. Courtesy runner Olivia Bigham scored on an error later in the inning and Gregory came home on a bunt hit from Sydney Hall, the Braves’ third bunt single of the inning, to make it a 3-0 game.
Olentangy (3-0, 1-0 OCC) added two more runs in the fourth, another in the fifth and, after Big Walnut (2-2, 0-1 OCC) got on the board with a run in the sixth, all but sealed the deal with a three spot in the bottom half.
The Golden Eagles rallied for three runs in the seventh, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Sydney Wagner and Ashley Post combined for three hits, three runs and four RBI, two apiece, to spark the Braves from the plate. Bartel was also solid, closing with a pair of hits in the win.
Taryn Hammond led the Golden Eagles, finishing 2-for-4 with a homer, three RBI and a run scored. Kasey Becker, Emma Schwinne and Mariah Chattos also had hits for BW.
Logan Sutton was the winning pitcher, allowing four runs on five hits in seven innings of action. She struck out three.
Kate Petty took the loss. She allowed nine runs, but just two of them were earned. She struck out five and walked one in six innings of work.
Hayes 11, Worthington Kilbourne 0, 5 innings
The Pacers scored seven first-inning runs and never looked back, rolling to an 11-0 OCC-Capital Division win over visiting Worthington Kilbourne Tuesday in Delaware.
Hayes (6-0, 1-0 OCC) added two more runs in the second and another two in the fourth to smooth out the scoring summary.
Amaia Daniel led the Pacers with a pair of doubles, two RBI and a run scored. Rachel Bourget and Lexi Mattix also had two hits apiece while Madi Huck and Mackenzie Stonebraker each drove in two. Caylin Morstadt finished with a team-best three runs scored.
Huck was her usual self in the circle, allowing just two hits while striking out four and walking two in five innings of work.
Delaware Christian 11, Northland 0, 5 innings
Madie Morgan had a pair of hits, three RBI and two runs scored and Liz Sullivan chipped in two hits, three runs and an RBI as the Eagles cruised to a five-inning, non-league win over the visiting Vikings Tuesday in Delaware.
DCS (1-1) led 6-0 after the first inning before adding a run in the second and four more in the third.
Skylin Martin and Emily Parrish each knocked in a pair of runs while Morgan picked up the win in the circle, allowing just three hits while striking out eight in five scoreless innings.
Also: Central Crossing 9, Liberty 2; Buckeye Valley 14, Centerburg 4, 5 innings; New Albany 12, Orange 1, 5 innings.