By Marshall Tempest
Reporter
The Apopka softball team went 3-0 and shut out three straight opponents this week, bringing them to nine wins in their last 10 games. The Blue Darters forced early wins and run-ruled all three of their opponents, not allowing any of the games to get past the third inning.
Apopka vs. Lake Buena Vista
Apopka’s first game this week was against the Lake Buena Vista Vipers. The Blue Darters blew the roof of this game in just two innings, putting up six runs in the first inning and nine in the second. The game’s first run was a bases-loaded walk, followed by a three-RBI double from Alicia Lopez to stretch the lead to 4-0. Ava Gonzalez drove in the fifth run on a line drive single to left field. Alezia Hatcher sent in the sixth run of the inning on a line drive single to left field.
After making quick work of the Vipers’ side at the top of the second inning, Apopka got right back to work at the bottom of the frame. Another bases-loaded walk started the scoring, followed by a sacrifice fly by Lopez to increase the lead to 8-0. Another bases-loaded walk combined with a single from Hatcher and a double from Reese Kernz each sent in a run as Apopka pulled away from the Vipers on the scoreboard, 12-0. A single from Shylah Pino sent in run 13, and a Vipers’ fielding error sent in the final two runs, giving Apopka the 15-0 win.
Apopka vs. The First Academy
The Blue Darters got off to an even better start against The First Academy (TFA), putting up 10 runs in the first inning and six in the second, ending the game with a 16-0 win.
Singles from Pino and Lopez sent in a run apiece to start the first inning. Hatcher followed up with a single to run the score to 4-0 before Skyla Durand smashed a three-run homer, putting Apopka on top 7-0. Pino scored a run on a double, followed by a TFA fielding error, sending in run nine, and a Lopez single scored the 10th run of the inning.
Apopka didn’t allow for much of anything from the TFA batters and found themselves at the plate again quickly. The second inning’s scoring opened up with another three-run homer from Durand to stretch the lead to 13-0. The last three runs came in one apiece on singles from Victoria Shaw, Sydney Bartkin, and Callie Sowers as the Blue Darters defeated TFA 16-0.
Apopka vs. Bishop Moore
Apopka defeated the Bishop Moore Hornets 17-0, putting up eight runs in the first, three in the second, and six in the third. Apopka opened up the scoring with a solo home run from Taylor Smith. A single from Riley Ford sent in the second run, and a single from Gonzalez sent in runs three and four. Mcgatlin followed up with a single of her own to send in run five before Ava Millspaugh capped off the inning with a three-run homer to make it 8-0.
Once again, the Apopka pitching staff kept the opponent’s at-bats to a minimum, as Apopka dominated on the mound and in the field. Durand opened the second inning with a two-run double to put the Blue Darters on top 10-0. The final run of the second inning came in on a single from Bartkin.
The Blue Darters ended the game in the bottom of the second inning with six more runs. Shaw drilled a three-run double to open the scoring in the third inning, pushing Apopka ahead 13-0. A Hornets’ fielding error sent in run 14, followed by a three-run double from Sowers to send in the final runs.
The Apopka softball team had one more matchup on the schedule this week. On Friday, it will host Timber Creek in a game set to start at 7 p.m. Timber Creek was 9-8 and ranked 181st in the state coming into the matchup.
