Triton coach Mark Whitman congratulates Alexis Howard on a 3-run homer.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
One night after recording just two hits in a 1-0 varsity softball loss at Tri-County Six 3-A Conference foe Lee County, Triton got its bats going again to avenge that loss with a 9-1 win over the visiting Yellow Jackets on Thursday.
“I told them if the top of the lineup got on, we were going to be aggressive on the bases,” said Triton softball coach Mark Whitman. “We were going to put pressure on their defense and make them throw us out. We were going to small ball, because we’re not just a hitting team. I think that people think that’s all we are, is just a power hitting team. But we’ve got girls that can lay the small ball down in crucial situations and that’s how we’re going to play from now on. We’ve got to move runners over and get them in scoring position for the big hitters. We executed. That’s what we talked about before the game: Executing and coming out here and having a good time tonight. We didn’t jump on the first pitch like we did a lot last night. It was just a good ball game tonight. We came out ready to play tonight.”
Sophomore Gracyn Slaughter pitched the complete game win for the Hawks (10-3, 5-1 TCSC), yielding no earned runs on four hits and one walk, with 10 strikeouts.
“She pitched outstanding,” Whitman said. “And she pitched good last night. Three hits last night and four tonight.”
Senior Alexis Howard had three hits, including a home run, four RBIs and two runs scored and sophomore Kaila Cooney had three hits, including a triple, two RBIs and one run scored to lead Triton at the plate.
Tatiana Muniz had two hits, including a triple, one RBI and three runs scored. Brittany Ireland had two hits, including a double, one RBI and one run scored. Slaughter, Ella Layn and Mary Kate Lucas had one hit apiece. Reagan Bradham had one RBI. Mackenzie Reid and Kimah Warren scored one run apiece.
“They sat in there and they hit,” Whitman said. “Alexis sat on her pitches. Kaila hit three missiles. Brittany hit big balls.”
Braynka Brown had two hits, including a double, Greeley Hibbard had two hits, Frankie Berryman had one RBI and Diamond Hancock scored once for the Yellow Jackets (2-7, 2-4).
Prior to the game, Triton had softball players from Coats-Erwin Middle and Dunn Middle as its guests and allowed them to take the field with the varsity player whose position they share during the announcement of the starting lineups and the National Anthem.
“That’s something I try to do every year,” Whitman said. “It’s a good thing for them. They get to see what Triton softball’s about. The excitement of it, National Anthem and announcing the players and letting them go on the field. I enjoy doing that. It gives the eighth-graders something to look forward to coming here next year and they know a lot of the freshmen and sophomores. It’s exciting to get them here, as well.”
Muniz led off the bottom of the first inning with a base hit, Howard bunted for a single and Cooney tripled to score both. Cooney scored when Ireland reached on an error. Ireland took second on that same error and advanced to third on a Slaughter sacrifice before scoring on a ground ball from Bradham.
Lee’s lone run came in the top of the second. Braynka Brown doubled and Hancock, her courtesy runner, tagged up to take third on a Savannah Brown fly out and scored when Berryman reached on an error.
Triton added another run in the second when Muniz tripled and scored on a base hit from Howard.
Bradham walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth, Reid was hit by a pitch, Layn reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Bradham forced out at third and Lucas reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Reid scored when Muniz reached on a fielder’s choice that saw Layn forced out at third and Howard homered over center to score Warren, pinch running for Lucas, Muniz and herself.
The Yellow Jackets went down in order in the top of the seventh, including a pair of strikeouts, to end the game.
Triton is at home against non-conference Pine Forest (9-5) on Monday before hosting conference foe Union Pines (8-4, 4-2) for a Pink Out game on Tuesday.
Gracyn Slaughter delivers a pitch in Triton’s 9-1 win.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Mikaylee Flowers makes a catch in left field for the Hawks.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Triton’s Kaila Cooney slides in with a triple on Thursday night.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Tatiana Muniz connects for a triple for Triton.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
Hawks second baseman Reagan Bradham makes a throw to first for an out.
(Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)
