A fast start paced Cardington’s softball team to a 23-2 home win over Northmor Tuesday evening in wet and cool conditions.
After Pirate pitcher Ari Simpson got through the first inning, only giving up a single to Maddie Simpson and striking out two, the team’s offense put forth a dominating performance in the bottom of the frame.
Cardington (6-0, 2-0) batted around the order twice and finished with 13 runs in the inning.
Ten of that number crossed home plate before the first out had been recorded. Five walks and a pair of hit batters hurt Northmor (3-2, 0-2), as did a couple errors that led to more runs.
The Pirates first scored when Dana Bertke singled in Mikayla Linkous and then got a second run when a pop fly by Riley Burchett was dropped. With the bases loaded, Ari Simpson smashed a grand slam to give her team a 6-0 lead.
A walk to Linkous with the bases loaded made it 7-0 and Bertke followed with a two-run single. Burchett drew a walk with the bases loaded and Abby Hardwick brought in the team’s 11th run with an RBI groundout. Ari Simpson then cracked a hit that was misplayed to make the score 13-0 after one inning.
Northmor would try to cut into their deficit over the next two innings. Kate Kissling, who took the mound partway through the first inning, didn’t give up any offense in the second or third frames, while the Golden Knights were able to work a run across in the second and then got another in the third when Maddie Simpson connected for an RBI single.
Cardington would get out with no further damage done, though, and then would add 10 runs to their tally in the fourth to assure that the contest would only go five innings.
The Pirates finished with 17 hits in the game, while also taking advantage of eight walks and a pair of hit batters. Ari Simpson had a home run and two singles, finishing with eight RBIs. She also pitched all five innings, striking out 11, walking four and giving up five hits. Edgell added a triple and single, while Hardwick had a double and two singles. Bertke had three singles and both Linkous and Emalee Artz finished with two.
Maddie Simpson recorded three of her team’s five hits to lead the Golden Knights on offense.
