North’s young softball team grew up a bit with a 15-0 win over Philadelphia’s Archbishop Ryan in Myrtle Beach on Monday.
The Rangers scored six runs in both the second and third innings to pull away from the Ragdolls in the run-rule-shortened game.
“It was a good start,” said North coach Matt McPeek. “This is a pretty inexperienced group so to have them come out and kind of put the wood to somebody was a good thing. The offense was clicking, and we were hitting the ball.”
Ashley Sykes led the offensive charge with a 4-for-4 day at the plate. She scored four runs and knocked in another.
“She hits the ball harder than most men I know,” McPeek said. “She came up today and gave us exactly what we needed. She wasn’t pleased with herself last year, and I think now with the commitment to John Carroll, she’s just focused on being her best. That was awesome to see her go 4-for-4.”
Melanie Okerwall, Brynne Smith, and Gianna Latina each recorded two hits in the win. Okerwall doubled and knocked in two runs, Smith doubled and added an RBI, and Latini pushed home two runs.
Maddi Ferrari doubled and knocked in two runs and Bella Dutko singled and knocked in a run.
Bailey Licht, who committed to Baldwin Wallace on Friday, picked up her first varsity win after allowing one hit and fanning four in three scoreless innings of work.
“She’s made some huge, huge strides,” McPeek said of Licht. “Bailey had one inning where she kind of lost her command for a little bit, so I went out just to check on her and told her to relax a little bit and rear back and fire the ball. Next thing you know, we’re out of the inning. She did really well and I think she’s going to get better and better all year.”
Okerwall closed out the game with two scoreless innings of work. She allowed two hits and struck out three.
“She did well,” McPeek said. “She’s a freshman and we’re putting her in some pretty tough spots. She’s batting second, playing center field, and she went back pretty good on a ball today that was hit well, she had a couple of hits and then came in and pitched. With her, it’s just going not be getting her some repetitions and throwing her out there. You could see the nerves in the first inning when she struck out, but that’s not who she is. This kid is a competitor.”
The Rangers are back in action on Tuesday with games against Episcopal Academy out of Pennsylvania and West Virginia’s Cabell Midland High School.