By HUNTER O. LYLE
DUKE CENTER, PA – In a night that saw a barrage of hits from up and down the roster, the Otto-Eldred softball team honored their four seniors with a dominating win, beating Galeton 16-0 in three innings.
After finishing up the first game against the Lady Tigers – a 12-0, five-inning win which was resumed in the fourth frame after being suspended two weeks ago due to inclement weather – the Lady Terrors took to the diamond, ushering Arayah Holly, Layla Horton, Payton Kaziska and Grace Rositzke – from Oswayo Valley – in the Senior Day procession. All coming to the team with little to no experience, the quartet hit the ground running as they developed and found ways to contribute for the Blue and Gold.
“Grace has been strong with RBIs all season, batting in the four position. Payton has surprised herself from the very first game she stepped out on,” said Otto-Eldred head coach Kristina Francis. “They all continue to get better every game and bring a good atmosphere to the dugout.”
After a team embrace at home plate, they then returned to the dugout, ready to chase down their eighth win of the season. Although the Lady Terrors conceded a loaded diamond early off a single and a pair of hit batters, O-E quickly ironed out the wrinkles thereafter. Dispatching Galeton with defense at home plate, the Lady Terrors swiftly gave themselves the advantage on the scoreboard.
Leading off was Jahden Prince, who reached first via walk before eventually moving to third off a steal and sac-grounder from Emily Rounsville. Capitalizing on a passed ball, Prince cleared the final distance to home for the inaugural run of the afternoon. Baylee Francis then replicated the feat, reaching first on a walk, stealing to third and rounding home on another passed ball to put O-E up 2-0.
Holding an early cushion, the Lady Terrors kept their foot on the gas. With only one out, the next three batters loaded the diamond before the following three rotated them in. Horton and Kenyan Kellogg cracked back-to-back RBI-singles followed by a sac-grounder from Holly to put O-E up 5-0.
“We just understand pitches a little bit more. We understand the pitch counts, as far as being more selective,” said Kristina Francis. “Whereas before we were just getting up there and swinging, now we’re being selective.”
Returning to the top of the lineup, the Lady Terrors continued to maintain pressure on all three bases, scoring another on a walk before Baylee Francis returned to the plate. With the diamond still full of Blue and Gold baserunners, she crushed the second pitch she faced, sailing a shot over centerfield for a grand slam and four runs.
“She puts in the time in the batting cages,” said Kristina Francis. “It’s really come together the last two games and it’s nice to see.”
Although the Lady Tigers tied on a tourniquet immediately after, they were helpless in the batters’ box, seeing three go up and three come back empty handed. Back to the plate sooner rather than later, O-E put three runners on base once again before driving in six more scores to enact the mercy rule. Prince and Rositzke tallied an RBI a-piece during the bottom of the second while Rounsville, Kameca Stebbins and Baylee Francis all crossed home plate on passed balls.
Recording her second homer of the season, Baylee Francis ended with a game-high five RBIs alongside her three individual runs on a 1-for-2 day at the plate. Smith also scored three times during the win, going 1-for-1 while Helaina Unverdorben and Rounsville scored twice each.
Looking ahead, the Lady Terrors have just two more games left on their regular season schedule. First, they will host Smethport on Tuesday before completing their campaign with a road game against Elk County Catholic on Wednesday. Beyond that, they await the District 9 Class A playoffs.
“We’re at Smethport tomorrow where we’re looking to take care of business and then we see ECC and could see them back-to-back (in the playoffs,)” said Kristina Francis. “I don’t know what the seedings will be but I expect to see ECC or Northern Potter in the first round. Either one, it’s a win. The fact that we’re going to be in a position to be in the playoffs and be in the top six in the District is a win.”
AT DUKE CENTER
Galeton 000 R:0 H:1 E:4
Otto-Eldred (10)6X R:16 H:6 E:0
Galeton: Schoett (1 SO, 8 BB) and Batterson
Otto-Eldred: Francis (5 SO, 0 BB) and Rounsville
