Triton wins girls soccer, softball

by Dunn Area Sports Staff | Mar 5, 2018 | Articles, Triton

Triton opened its girls soccer season with an 8-1 win over visiting South Johnston on Monday night as Ana-Beth Brewer had three goals and two assists.

Laura Castro scored two goals.

Adding one goal each for the Hawks were Kiana McNeil, Selena Tapia and Daughtry Williams.

“We scored a goal by Ana-Beth from Laura Castro two minutes into the game, which helped settle us down,” said Triton girls soccer coach Brian Foster. “Then we broke off the rust, started connecting and had some very strong finishing.”

Triton’s girls soccer team is scheduled to visit South Johnston on Wednesday.

Brittany Ireland connects for a Triton home run. (Dunn Area Sports Photo/John Lucas)

Hawks softball holds off Rosewood

Triton’s softball team held off a late rally from visiting Rosewood for a 6-4 win Monday.

“Rosewood is a vastly improved team,” said Triton coach Mark Whitman. “They will surprise a lot of people in 1-A ball this year. They’ve got some good hitters. I was satisfied for the most part with our girls tonight. We hit the ball when we needed to hit it. Didn’t really make many errors. I don’t think we hit it as good as we can hit it, like we did last time. But overall, I’m pleased. A win’s a win.”

In her first outing as a high school pitcher, freshman Gracyn Slaughter picked up the complete game win for the Hawks (2-0). She gave up three earned runs on eight hits and one walk, with six strikeouts.

“Gracyn did a good job,” Whitman said. “She got a little tired towards the end and started missing her spots.”

Brittany Ireland had two hits, including a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored and Alexis Howard had two hits, including a triple, and two runs scored to lead Triton at the plate.

Kaila Cooney had one hit and two RBIs. Samantha Herring had one hit and one RBI. Slaughter had a triple. Hayden Smith had one hit. Mikaylee Flowers and Ella Layn scored one run apiece.

Freshman Alecia Langdon was 3-for-3, including her first career home run, with one RBI and two runs scored to lead the Eagles (0-3).

Ireland led off the bottom of the second inning with a single and Kathryn Elliott and Flowers walked to load the bases with one out. Herring singled to score Ireland and Cooney singled to score Layn, running for Elliott, and Flowers.

Langdon led off the top of the third with a base hit and scored on a double from Macy Tyndall to put Rosewood on the board.

Howard led off the bottom of the third with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly from Ireland to push the lead back to three.

Howard singled with two out in the bottom of the fifth and Ireland followed with a line drive over the center field fence to add a pair of runs that would prove to be the difference.

“It was just a matter of time for her to get one,” Whitman said. “She’s hit it hard in the past couple of games and she hits it hard in practice. She’s in that five-spot (in the batting order) for a reason. If she lets her bat do the work and doesn’t try to overpower it or overswing, she’ll get a bunch this year. She can be another Ashley (Daniel, Triton’s single-season home run record holder) if she just stays patient.”

A solo home run from Langdon and a two-run home run from Laine Marak in the top of the seventh cut Triton’s lead to two, but a pop-up to Smith, at second, ended the game.

Weather pending, Triton travels to rival South Johnston Tuesday. The varsity and junior varsity games have been switched, with the varsity starting at 4 p.m. and the JV game following.

“They’re good,” Whitman said. “We’re going to have to play our best game to beat them. They’ll be a good hitting team. We’ve got to adjust a little bit and be ready for (pitcher) Carmen (Keene), because I know she’ll be on her game. She’s got a nasty change-up and will probably be one of the best change-ups we face throughout the year. I know (South coach) Amanda (Smith) will have them ready and we’ll be ready.”