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Senior Leanne Holmes pitched the Yellow Springs High School softball team’s first game in three years, which was suspended due to darkness with visiting Belmont up 19–16. Covering the plate was catcher Chelsea Horton, a freshman who went 3–3 with three runs scored on the night. (Photo by Megan Bachman)
April 5, 2012 Bulldog Sports Round-up
- Published: April 5, 2012
Girls softball returns to YSHS
It has been years since the Yellow Springs High School varsity softball team has stepped onto the diamond at Gaunt Park. That’s why last week’s home opener against Belmont, which was suspended in the fourth inning, was nevertheless significant as the start of what will hopefully be girls softball’s first full season since 2008.
The young Bulldogs team came out swinging. They took leads of 4–2 after one inning and 9–8 after two innings but the game was eventually suspended due to darkness with Belmont leading by a score of 19–16. Coach Jim DeLong was happy with the game’s result.
“I was real pleased with the execution and effort of our team against a bigger, older, more experienced team from Belmont,” Coach Jim DeLong said. “The hustle and desire and enthusiasm from our team was outstanding.”
In 2009 the softball season was canceled after the team’s first game. In 2010, two girls joined the boys team to play. And in 2011, the season was canceled again due to lack of interest. This year’s roster features 13 players, including seven freshmen and one sophomore in its nine-person starting lineup.
Freshman Catcher Chelsea Horton, who went 3–3 with three runs scored, sparked a four-run outburst in the first inning with a leadoff single and later came around to score a run on an RBI by Katie Triplett. In the second inning, Horton sparked a five-run rally with a leadoff double.
“Horton is a player who elevates her game a notch once the game starts,” Coach DeLong said. “In the past week, I’ve named her team captain, she’s played catcher for the first time ever, and she is batting leadoff. She’s done well on all three counts.”
After falling behind by a score of 12–9 in the top of the third, the Bulldogs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 12–12. Cali Dillon and Leanne Holmes got on base to lead off the inning, followed by base hits by Triplett and Jesi Worsham. Then sophomore Olivia Ramage provided the key hit of the inning with a two-out, two-RBI single to the outfield. Coach DeLong said it was a “clutch hit.”
“The ball jumped off her bat with a lot of velocity,” Coach DeLong said.
Senior Leanne Holmes pitched the entire game for the Bulldogs. Coach DeLong was impressed with her performance.
“Holmes’ pitching location and release point and mechanics have really come around,” Coach DeLong said. “She’s a first-year pitcher and she’s really battling out there for the team. It takes a special mindset to be a pitcher and Leanne has that needed mental framework.”
Horton led the team offensively, going 3–3 at the plate with a double and three runs. Ramage went 2–2 with two RBI’s and Holmes and Worsham scored four runs apiece.
The game will be resumed at a later date if both schools have an open date available.
Truss wins three events at meet
Senior Antone Truss took the spotlight at the YSHS boys varsity track and field team’s first meet of the season at Southeastern. Truss snatched three first-place finishes as his team came in fourth place out of five area teams.
“The young Yellow Springs team gave a very inspiring performance that was highlighted by three first-place finishes provided by senior Antone Truss,” Coach John Gudgel said of the result.
Truss won the high jump (clearing 6´4˝), the long jump (leaping to 20´½˝) and the 200-meter dash (in 24 seconds). The senior qualified for regionals last years in the high jump.
Also placing were the 1600-meter relay team of Bryce White, Eli Biggs, Henrik Korsch and Levi Perry, who finished in second, and the 800-meter relay (Biggs, Korsch, Max Mullin, Perry) who came in third with a time of 1:47.2.
Fourth-place finishes went to White in the 100-meter dash (13 seconds) and to White, Korsch, Perry and Truss in the 400-meter relay (48.9 seconds). Korsch took fifth in the long jump (16´5½˝), Devon Lewis tossed the shot put 31´1˝ to finish fifth and Connor Gravely-Novello ran to fifth place in the 1600-meter race (5:33.4).
Dylan Boczar, Kalonji Cross, Charlie Fenimore and Alex Strolger also turned in strong performances, according to Gudgel.
Brown, Miller anchor girls track
The YSHS girls varsity track and field team kicked off their 2012 season with a fourth-place finish out of five teams at the Southeastern meet last week. Paced by the one-two finish of Alex Brown and Lois Miller in the 1600-meter run (worth 14 points), the Bulldogs went on to score 47 points.
Brown ran the 1600-meter race in 5:45.0 and just behind her was Miller, in 5:56.0. Miller herself won the 3200-meter run in 12:26.3.
Rikako Kida was a runner-up in the 800-meter run (3:08.7). Christina Brewer, Brown, Kida and Miller (11:39.7) took second in the relay. Coming in third were Brewer, in the 800-meter (3:14.1) and the 4×400-meter relay of Brown, Kida, Miller and Brewer (5:09.9). Fourth-place finishes were turned in by Ketura Fulton in the 800-meter run (3:18.6) and Kennedy Harshaw in the long jump (13’3 ½”). Angela Allen tossed the discus 84 feet, good for fifth-place.
Also performing well in their races and field events were Nicole Worsham in the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and Emma Rohmohr in the 200-meter dash, long jump and shot put. Harshaw and Taylor Beck had the best tosses ever in the discus and shot put. AnnDee Pettiford added depth in the long jump.
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