By Nick Eilerson/Scrimmageplaycva.com contributor
Charlottesville’s softball team kept things tight in the first few innings of Tuesday night’s contest against Monticello, but a monster 8-run fifth inning allowed the visiting Mustangs to head for the bus early with a 10-0 run rule victory.
Hunter Catlett sparked Monticello’s hitting carousel with a single to center field at the top of the fifth. A single by freshman Mattie Morris three batters later brought Catlett home to extend the Mustangs’ lead to 3-0. Kaitlyn Bodine kept the momentum churning on the next at-bat, knocking a double that brought captains Ashley Woodson and Katie White to home plate. Charlottesville couldn’t stop the bleeding, allowing five more hits that resulted in a 10-0 Monticello lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
“We started being aggressive at bat and making good contact,” Monticello coach Beth Humphrey said. “Hitting is contagious. One person gets a hit and the rest of the team feels like they can do it. We just started finally swinging the bat hard.”
Charlottesville pitcher Ashton Ferneyhough was by no means solely to blame for the landslide, however, as errors plagued the Black Knights’ defense and precipitated Monticello runs.
“We just fell apart,” CHS coach Clay Ferneyhough said. “Basically just mental mistakes. It’s growing pains. We’ve been experiencing that all season. We play well half the ball game and then we find an inning where we just can’t seem to make fundamental plays.”
White got the scoring started for Monticello at the top of the first inning, as she ran home after Bodine’s sacrifice fly to left field. Bodine struck again at the top of the third, this time belting a double that allowed Woodson to reach home plate. The CHS deficit remained just two runs at the bottom of the fourth, though, meaning opportunity still lingered for the home side. Ferneyhough appeared to put her team on the board when she crushed a Bodine pitch toward the right fence, but the ball collided with the top of the fence to turn a potential home run into a double. C.C. Bowles grounded out on the next at-bat, and the Mustangs took care of the rest in the ensuing inning.
Bodine had a solid night in the circle for Monticello, surrendering just three base hits en route to the shutout.
“I think we played really strong as a team,” Bodine said. “Throwing strikes is a big part of the game. You have to trust your teammates behind you, and I definitely could tonight.”
Monticello gets a bit of a break before taking on William Monroe next Tuesday, while CHS will return home for a 6:30 p.m. Friday matchup with Fluvanna.
