Jarrell, Spring-Ford smash Owen J. Roberts 15-0 in unbeaten battle

BUCKTOWN >> The matchup’s expectations were realized Wednesday.

For two innings, that is.

After that, Spring-Ford got things rolling on the way to a 15-0 mercy-rule win on Owen J. Roberts at the Wildcats’ home park.

The hitless affair between the Pioneer Athletic Conference’s last two unbeaten teams — the Rams came in 4-0 Liberty Division and 6-0 overall, the Wildcats 3-0 and 4-0 — came undone in the top of the third inning, when Spring-Ford scored twice. The visitors added three more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth, then went on a sixth-inning bataround that brought another eight runners across the plate for an insurmountable 15-run lead.

“Our kids are doing a great job,” SF head coach Tim Hughes said. “They work hard in practice. I’m blessed to have 15 kids who bust their butts. Every game, somebody steps up.”

The Rams’ spotlight-grabber was Ellie Jarrell, who put up some strong numbers with the bat: 4-for-4 hitting, four runs scored, two doubles and two RBI. The center fielder had the distinction of scoring twice in the high-powered sixth: The first time on a wild pitch, the second off Jessica Flizar’s pinch-hit double before OJR was able to bring the slugfest to a halt.

It was a redeeming performance for Jarrell, who got the season off to a rough start but persevered through it.

“I had the trust of the coaches,” she recalled. “Despite the rough start, they kept me in the lineup. It all came together this game.”

Every aspect of the game came together for Spring-Ford. The bats were popping to the tune of 15 hits — all but one of 12 batters either hitting safely or scoring at least once — the defense was stopping every ball of which the Roberts bats were able to get a piece, and pitching ace Jules Scogna was hopping on the way to a three-hit, eight-strikeout shutout.

Hughes, however, cautioned the outcome wasn’t indicative of how good the Owen J. team is in actuality.

“They’re a good team,” he said. “They just got caught in a roll. It happens all the team, and this time it escalated.”

OJR head coach Steve Winnick concurred with that assessment.

“We were sloppy tonight. The girls knew that,” the Wildcats’ first-year mentor said. “With the bats, we hit better than that. Our contact was weak, and we were jamming hits off the bat.”

Sophia Winnick, a senior pitcher/first baseman and the coach’s daughter, had a one-out triple in the fifth that was Owen J’s biggest hit. She was unable to complete a circle of the bases, though, when Spring-Ford got out of the inning with a strikeout and fly ball to second baseman Morgan Lester.

A particular highlight of the Ram defense was shortstop Madison Peck’s unassisted double play in the third. Peck speared Sam Gautreau’s line drive, then touched second base to pick off Hayden Streeter (single).

“We knew this was going to be a big game. We were both undefeated,” Jarrell said. “It was a big game for the team.”

Among the Rams’ more prolific bats were those of leadoff hitter Karissa Potteiger (3-for-4, one RBI), Grace Carlin (2-for-3, one RBI) and Scogna (2-for-4, two RBI). Riley Gancasz hit a three-run triple in the sixth-inning bataround.

A perfect total game by Spring-Ford? Hughes did not fully concur with that assessment.

“There are some things we can work on,” he said. “But the positives outweighed the negatives.”

On the Roberts side, Winnick cited the play of pitcher Natalie Alldred and Sophia Winnick as key contributors to his team’s otherwise strong start.
“Alldred is having a terrific year, both with the bat and pitching,” he said. “I know she wanted much more out of this game. In the field, we got some good scoops from my daughter.

“Each game, we’ve had different contributors.”

NOTES >> Hughes pointed out how his team worked Tuesday under less than ideal conditions. “We were practicing in sleet, snow and hail,” he recalled. “The kids keep us honest. I’m proud of what they do.” … Scogna’s mound outing saw her strike out the lead batter three of the first four innings and fan three batters following Liza Flavin’s leadoff single in the sixth.