FITCH BOOM STICKS OUT IN FULL FORCE
By Ty Bartell
AUSTINTOWN OH- The Austintown-Fitch Falcons softball team showcased their offensive power Monday night, hitting five home runs to cruise to an 18-0 victory over the Avon Lake Shoregals. The Falcons started strong, scoring 14 runs in the first inning and putting the game out of reach early.
Kaliana Ray kicked off the first inning with a single and stole two bases. Sister Ayla Ray reached second base, giving Abby Toth an opportunity to drive in two runs with a double. Sydnie Watts followed with a three-run home run to center field, increasing the lead.
The Falcons’ bats remained hot as Samantha Severn contributed with a single and advanced on wild pitches before scoring on a single by Rachel Spalding. Ayla Ray then blasted a grand slam, adding to the team’s commanding lead. By the end of the first inning, the Falcons held a 14-0 lead and were well on their way to a victory.
Fitch continued to dominate in the later innings, adding three more runs in the third. Abby Toth hit a leadoff home run, while Sydnie Watts followed with another two-run shot to push the lead to 17-0.
In the fourth inning, the Falcons added one more run as Jeweliana Farmer hit an RBI double, scoring Kaliana Ray. Watts wrapped up her performance in the circle by striking out the first batter of the fifth inning, though her perfect game and no-hitter were broken up in the next at-bat. She finished the game strong, striking out the last two batters.
Sydnie Watts led the Falcons’ offense with five RBIs on two home runs, while Ayla Ray collected four RBIs thanks to her grand slam. Abby Toth homered and doubled twice, gathering three RBIs, and Samantha Severn added three RBIs with a home run and a double. Jeweliana Farmer, Kylie Folkwein, and Rachel Spalding also contributed RBIs.
In the circle, Watts earned the win with 14 strikeouts and one hit allowed in five innings of work, with catcher Kylie Folkwein behind the plate.
The top-seeded Falcons finish the season at 16-1 overall and will host the #30 seed Mayfield Wildcats in the Division 1 Sectional Final on Wednesday, May 8, with the first pitch scheduled for 5 p.m. YSN will provide live coverage of the game, courtesy of Austintown-Fitch Softball Boosters! Stay updated with Austintown-Fitch softball all season long with live games, scores, stats, and stories on YSN!
