By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
The Apopka Blue Darter softball team opened up their season with a massive 11-1 win over the Lake Mary Rams on the road last Friday, Feb. 21. Apopka put on a clinic and didn’t allow the Rams a second to get comfortable at the plate or in the field. The girls did the same thing this week at Mount Dora, routing the Hurricanes 14-2 on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
“We have been working very hard to reach certain goals and milestones. Team chemistry has also been a focus for us. I love the way they appear to be gelling, and we have high expectations for this season,” said head coach Mike MacWithey.
Apopka at Lake Mary (11-1) Win
Apopka ended the game in the sixth inning, run-ruling Lake Mary after scoring 10 more runs than the Rams. There were only two quiet innings in the game, the first and the second, where Apopka or Lake Mary didn’t score a run.
Apopka then reeled off eight unanswered runs, putting up three runs in the second inning, three in the third, and two in the fourth to build an 8-0 lead.
In the fourth, Lake Mary brought in one run, but that was it. Apopka piled on three more runs in the top of the fifth and shut down Lake Mary to carry an 11-1 lead into the sixth, which was scoreless.
Apopka dominated at the plate and on the mound. Ava Millspaugh took the mound for Apopka and delivered an outstanding performance. She finished the game with a 0.00 earned run average (ERA), a .167 opposing batting average (OBA), a .211 on-base percentage allowed (OBP), six strikeouts, and allowed just three hits, one run, and one walk after throwing 61 pitches to 19 batters. She faced only one batter over the minimum in her six-inning gem.
In comparison, the Rams’ pitchers faced 33 Apopka batters, while Millspaugh faced only 19 Lake Mary batters. The Rams allowed 14 more plate appearances, a 73.68 percent increase from Apopka—almost double.
A handful of Apopka payers had a great night at the plate, including Hagan Mcgatlin, Alezia Hatcher, Reese Kerns, and Shylah Pino. Mcgatlin, Hatcher, Kerns, and Pino combined for 10 hits, six runs, and five RBIs in the win over Lake Mary.
Mcgatlin had a perfect 1.000 batting average and on-base percentage, with three hits, two runs, four RBIs, and left no Blue Darters on base in her appearances at the plate. Hatcher achieved a .750 batting average and on-base percentage, totaling three hits, two runs, no RBIs, and left two Blue Darters on base in her plate appearances.
Kerns recorded a .667 batting average and on-base percentage, with two hits, no runs, one RBI, and left one Blue Darter on base in her plate appearances. Pino posted a .500 batting average and on-base percentage, with two hits, two runs, and one RBI.
Other Blue Darters had a fantastic day at the plate, including Taylor Smith, who recorded one hit, two runs and one RBI.
As a team, Apopka was really tearing the cover off the ball, boasting a team batting average of .500 and a team on-base percentage of .576. Apopka also stole five bases, with two by Pino and the other three stolen by Smith, Kernz, and McGatlin, each contributing one steal.
The Blue Darters showcased a nearly flawless performance on the field, boasting a team fielding percentage of .952 with only one error. Apopka recorded 15 putouts and five assists. Lake Mary also performed admirably in the field, considering the score, with a team fielding average of .944 and just one error. The Rams recorded 15 putouts and two assists.
Apopka at Mount Dora (14-2) Win
Absolute domination. Those are the only words to describe the Apopka softball team’s performance in their two opening games this season. The Blue Darters have outscored their opponents 25-3 in just two games after defeating Mount Dora 14-2.
This game was all about Apopka’s trips to the plate, as each one could be an electric momentum shifting at bat. Apopka scored five runs in the second inning, one run in the third, four runs in the fourth, and four final runs in the sixth to run-rule Mount Dora, which scored its only two runs in the fifth.
The second inning was where it all started as Shylah Pino came to the plate with bases loaded and two outs. Pino made great contact with a ball that sent in one run as she was about to get tagged at first. Still, a wild throw secured her single, allowed her to run for second, and allowed another Apopka runner to get home. The Blue Darters were now up 2-0 with runners on second and third.
After Pino was Smith, who is a menace at the plate for any pitcher. Smith unleashed a huge home run over the center field wall to put Apopka on top 5-0.
Mount Dora secured the third out before Apopka could put up any more runs in the second but could not return the favor. Apopka, on the other hand, went right back to work in the third inning with another run, then four more in the fourth inning, upping the score 10-0 going into the fifth inning.
Mount Dora managed to get on the board with two runs in the fifth, but Apopka answered with four more runs in the sixth before the game was called.
The Blue Darters posted a team batting average of .343 on the game. The team also had a .410 on-base percentage while totaling 12 hits, eight RBIs, three doubles, and the homer from Smith.
Smith, Skyla Durand, and Ava Gonzalez led the Darters at the plate. Smith had a .600 batting average and on-base percentage, three hits, two runs, four RBIs, one double, one home run, and left no Blue Darters on base in her plate appearances. Durand had a .500 batting average and on-base percentage, two hits, three runs, and left two Blue Darters on base in her plate appearances. Gonzalez had a .333 batting average and on-base percentage, one hit, one run, one RBI, and left two Blue Darters on base in her plate appearances.
But it wasn’t a game where just a few Darters shined; it truly was a team win with everybody contributing something somewhere. Seven Blue Darters stole bases, with Smith, Gonzalez, Kernz, Riley Ford, Mcgatlin, Pino, and Bartkin all grabbing one apiece.
In the field, Apopka was perfect, with a 1.000 fielding percentage, 18 putouts, seven assists, and one double play. The double play was executed by Alicia Lopez, Mcgatlin, and Callie Sowers. Mount Dora’s fielders had 18 putouts, two assists, and four errors. Blue Darters were able to reach a base on a Mount Dora error five times.
Millspaugh had another huge night on the mound for the Blue Darters, throwing 75 pitches in five innings. Millspaugh had a 2.80 ERA, gave up two hits, two runs, walked two batters, and collected six strikeouts. She had a batting average against of .125 and an on-base percentage against of .263 and hit one Mount Dora batter with a pitch.
Bartkin came in to relieve Millspaugh in the sixth and final inning of the night. Bartkin threw 14 pitches to four batters, gave up one hit and collected one strikeout in one shutout inning of work.
The Apopka Chief is an award-winning weekly newspaper serving the greater Apopka area in Central Florida since 1923.
Follow The Apopka Chief on Facebook.
Follow The Apopka Chief on X.
Follow The Apopka Chief on Instagram.
