Coaches and players can never have enough motivation and that’s always most evident when a team appears disappointed in 10-0 slaughter rule victory. Madison County thought its 10-0 win in six innings over Rappahannock could have been better, and perhaps in some ways it could have. The Mountaineers got off to a bit of a slow start, but was they were dialed in, they cruised past the Raiders.
“I don’t understand sometimes, and it can be aggravating to watch a team that can hit struggle,” Yowell said. “It got better as it went on. But there was no reason that we couldn’t hit like that early on. We’ve got to be able to do that because we’re going to see a lot better pitching coming up.”
For the first three innings it was a pitcher’s duel between Jordan Aylor for the Mountaineers and Meghan Early for the Raiders. To start the game, Aylor was able to pitch her way out of a jam with runners on third and second with no outs. The senior struck out the next two batters and a fly ball to left field got her out of the inning unharmed. That was the first of only two scoring threats that the Mountaineers saw from the Raiders.
Offensively, a double from Aylor in the first inning and then a leadoff single from Anna Kelliher in the second inning both went squandered for Madison. However, in the third the Mountaineers got it together and tagged Rappahannock for three runs thanks to a 2-run single from Aylor and a bases loaded walk drawn by Kerry Carpenter.
“I’ve been struggling lately with my hitting,” Aylor said. “So this was nice, a good thing to have happen. But our hitting tonight was not where it needed to be. If we hit like they when the playoffs come we’re going to be in some trouble. We hit so well when the season started and I don’t know why it’s been a problem these last few games, but we’re going to be working very hard on it.”
In the bottom of the fourth, Aylor struck again with an RBI single to give herself some more wiggle room inside the circle. In the fifth, Carpenter cranked a double and was brought home by Timberly Deane who reached base on an error.
Up 5-0, Madison finished the job in the sixth inning on an RBI single from Taylor Yowell, a 3-run double from Jordan Gentry that did everything but clear the centerfield fence and a walk off RBI single from Abby Erb. All three hitters to drive in the last five runs were substitutions.
“My subs, I work them as hard as I work the starters and I don’t hesitate to put them in,” Yowell said. “If there’s a situation where I need them, they’re going in and they have confidence and they can swing the bat.”
Aylor’s pitching was as troublesome for the Raiders as her bat was. In the top of the sixth two walks and a single gave Rappahannock the bases loaded with two outs, but once again Aylor came out of the inning unharmed. She finished the game with 10 strikeouts.
Aylor also finished the game 4 for 4 with three RBI. Carpenter was 1 for 2 with three RBI. Amanda Whitaker was 3 for 3 with a pair of stolen bases.
Madison (16-3) will get a chance to clinch the Bull Run District title when it travels to Clarke County on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
