Trinity’s Grace Lance delivers the pitch in the first inning against the Raiders.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Trinity’s DeAnna Rothert starts to run around the bases for the Cougars against South Ripley.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Trinity’s Laura Roeder came all the way from second base to make this throw to get the Raider batter out on Thursday night.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Grace Lance throws a runner out at first after fielding a ball that was hit directly to her on Thursday.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Trinity’s Emerson Warren drops a bunt for the Cougars on Thursday night against South Ripley.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Trinity’s Cami Keaton hustles to first base for the Cougars on Thursday.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
Trinity’s Olivia Cain (5) takes off after drilling a ball in the outfield on Thursday against South Ripley.
Dakota Locker | The Tribune
It was another sunny evening for softball on Thursday as the Cougars hosted South Ripley out at Trinity Lutheran High School.
Trinity was looking to get back to their ‘winning ways’ after getting off to a 7-1 start, the team dropped the past two games to Jennings County and Henryville.
After six innings of ball, the Cougars defeated South Ripley by ten runs in an 11-1 win over the Raiders. Coach Herb Gross spoke on the outcome with South Ripley on Thursday.
“We just talked about this to all the girls in the huddle, we did a lot of great things tonight as a team,” Gross said.
“We have struggled these past few games, not working together as much as we usually do, and haven’t been swinging the bats very well recently,” he added. “Our defense hasn’t been good either, but tonight was a much better effort and it showed on the scoreboard.”
Trinity got off to a good start, taking the early 1-0 lead after one inning from a single from Olivia Cain, which scored Zoey Dulaney. Cain led the team in offense, recording three hits of the 14 for the Cougars on Thursday evening.
Dianna Munoz, Emerson Warren, and Dulaney all recorded 2 hits in the winning effort.
Trinity took total control in the middle innings, adding three runs in the third, one in the fourth, four in the fifth and two final runs to send the Raiders home in the sixth.
In the third inning, Maddie Adams, and Munoz singled to score runs, Grace Lance also walked to score another run for the Cougars.
In the final inning, Marci Leinart singled to make it 10-1, scoring Lance. Danica May then singled on a ground ball to the third baseman, scoring Leinart for the mercy rule winning run.
The Raiders also had trouble stringing together any offense, thanks to Trinity pitcher Grace Lance, who stifled the South Ripley bats from the get-go.
Lance went all six innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run. The pitcher struck out seven batters and allowed just one free pass.
Trinity would draw 8 walks in the win, Lance with four of them to lead the team. Adams, Dulaney, DeAnna Rothert and Addi Burcham recorded the other four.
The Cougars are now sitting at 8-3 on the season and Coach Gross is liking the depth of the 2023-24 Cougars.
“Our depth is something I’m really liking about this team,” he said. “We have many options at different positions and our kids are working hard and doing a great job in each position I put them in.”
Trinity will prepare to host Southwestern on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The girls then travel to Indianapolis Lutheran for a makeup game on Monday at 5:30 p.m.
South Ripley (1-4) at Trinity Lutheran (8-3)
South Ripley; 1
Trinity Lutheran; 11
Hits: Trinity Lutheran – Cain (3); Dulaney, Warren Munoz (2); May, Burcham, Rothert, Adams, Leinart. South Ripley — Lohrum, Block, Meyer. RBI: Trinity Lutheran – Cain, (3); Dulaney, (2); May, Burcham, Adams, Munoz, Leinart. South Ripley — Block.
WP: Lance, Trinity Lutheran. LP: Meyer, South Ripley