THE PLAINS — In order to succeed at any sport, you need to be able to move past the unfortunate rather quickly, shifting focus to what’s currently in front of you. The sentiment rings even more true on the diamond with the sheer amount of games to be played.
Following a heartbreaking loss the day prior, Athens softball bounced back in a big way on Tuesday afternoon, returning home and grabbing a crucial conference victory, taking down Meigs in a 6-0 shutout. It was the team’s first Tri-Valley Conference-Ohio victory following an 0-2 start to divisional play.
While the team would take advantage of a litany of errors from the Marauders’ (9-2, 1-2 TVC-Ohio) defense to help pour onto the scoreboard, it was the work in the circle that really secured the victory in the end for Athens (6-3, 1-2 TVC-Ohio).
“We came back today and I just told them ‘Yesterday is over with, we’ve got to come strong tonight,’ and I thought Fern [Sigman] threw a nice game in the circle and the defense came up strong behind her,” Roger Bissell, the head coach of Athens said after the game, touching on the extra-innings loss to Vinton County the night before. “Offensively, everyone participated so I couldn’t be happier with today.”
Fern Sigman would pitch a complete game shutout, allowing just five hits while striking out three and allowing two walks. Still working back from an ACL surgery in the fall, the junior has been impressive in her few starts so far this season.
“I started out with my changeup working pretty well but once it didn’t, it was really my defense that kept us in the game because they were able to make plays and keep us in the game,” Sigman noted after the game when asked to evaluate her performance.
At the plate, it was an all-around effort with six different batters recording a hit. Ellie Beck-Aden would lead the way once again out of the leadoff spot with yet another multi-hit game, finishing 2-4 at the dish. Rylee Toadvine and Annabella Gallagher would each grab a hit and an RBI. Kendra and Kayla Hammonds would each grab a hit and a run scored while Khyla Brannon would also pitch in an RBI in the win.
The Marauders’ offense just couldn’t seem to string together much success throughout the afternoon. Bella Roush, Natalie Goode, Delana Wright, Liyah Smith and Chloe Burnem would finish with one hit each for Meigs.
Goode would also pitch all six innings for the Mauraders, allowing seven hits and four earned runs, striking out and walking a pair in the process.
Meigs would create a threat in the opening frame with a pair of runners on base but Athens would get out of the scare, immediately bouncing back in the bottom of the frame. Following hits by Beck-Aden and Kayla Hammonds to lead off the game, Toadvine would bring in the first run of the afternoon with a sacrifice fly to center field.
With Sigman continuing to keep zeros on the board, Athens next struck in the bottom of the fourth. With Brannon on first base, Sigman would line a single into center field but an error from the fielder would allow Brannon to score all the way from first, putting Sigman on third base with just one out. One batter later, Gallagher would line her first career RBI hit to extend the lead to three.
“She got her opportunity today and she did a nice job,” Bissell noted about Gallagher. “I said, ‘When you get your opportunities, take advantage of it because anything can happen and I thought Annabella did a great job.”
Athens would end up plating one more across in the fourth in part due to another error from the Marauders, making it a 4-0 game going into the fifth.
Defensive miscues would then become vital once again in the following frame for Meigs. Following a single from Kendra Hammonds to get on base, Toadvine would single into center field but another throwing error from the Marauders would allow the senior to scamper home all the way from first. One batter later, Brannon would ground into a fielder’s choice, bringing in Toadvine with the final run of the night.
Sigman would continue to deal, ultimately setting down Meigs’ lineup in order in the seventh to secure the vital victory.
“Yesterday we just did not play well but today we really got a team win,” Sigman said. “Everyone contributed, everyone was playing their best and trying hard.”
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