BUCYRUS — The Bucyrus Lady Red held an impromptu dance party outside their dugout. They had reason to twist and shout after posting a 3-1 win over perennial power Mohawk in a Northern 10 Athletic Conference softball game Thursday evening at Jack Hewitt Field.
Kendra Blizzard and Bailey Sheets engaged in a pitchers’ duel for the first couple of innings.
Mohawk was the cream of the crop last season, going 21-5 before its season ended in a Division IV regional semifinal loss to Lincolnview, 5-4.
By contrast, Bucyrus went 3-13 last year with a young club under veteran coach Jerry “Pudge” Hargis.
“Two days ago, we played them, and we know that’s a good softball team. We didn’t want to lose to them twice early because of the schedule we won’t get to play them later,” he said.
“We talked about playing a little harder and doing things a little better in practice. They responded. It was a great high school softball performance overall.”
Blizzard, a junior, got the win striking out 8 and issuing a walk.
“We knew that they were a good team, and they won the league last year. I’m just glad we held it together. Our defense was on tonight, which is good. We played them Tuesday and we knew what they could do,” she said.
The Lady Warriors topped the Lady Redmen 7-2 in the mutual season opener at home on Tuesday.
Blizzard also got the offense going in the third inning, blasting a triple to centerfield that drove in freshman Layla Swerlein with the first Bucyrus run. She reached base via an infield error.
Two more runs crossed the plate due to fielding errors and hits by sophomores Marissa Middleton and Isabella Bruss, giving the hosts a 3-0 advantage it would not relinquish.
“We have a very young team. If we just keep playing and practicing as a team, we will keep on getting better,” Blizzard said as the music blared from the dugout and her teammates danced.
Mohawk head coach Mindy Walton said the fielding miscues in the third inning hurt her team, but also credited the Lady Redmen.
“Hands down, Bucyrus played a great game. We had one inning there where we had errors on defense and that was the difference in the game. We never really came alive at the plate.
“We talked a lot about that out in the circle tonight. It’s a lesson learned from some very inexperienced ladies. Some of the girls who hadn’t played varsity yet. Moving forward, we hope they can improve, and I expect Saturday to be completely different, hopefully,” Walton said.
Lady Warriors Averie Barth and Ellie Skeels opened the 6th with base hits, but Bucyrus stopped the uprising. The lone Mohawk run came in the top of the seventh when A.J. Chevalier doubled, and Wagner singled her home.
“The N10 is pretty even-keeled this year. There’s not a team that really sticks out a ton like there has been in the past. It’s anybody’s game,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what the score was last time because you can go anywhere and get beat on any given day.”
Last year’s success should serve as a springboard for Mohawk despite some new faces.
“With new players who haven’t had that experience yet. You always have one or two losses in the season where you shake your head about. But hopefully this a growing pain. We need to focus on the errors we had, make ourselves better at the plate and we’ll be OK.”
Sheets shared pitching duties with fellow senior Lacie Wagner. She pitched in the third inning and gave up the three runs despite two strikeouts.
“When Bailey is in the circle we don’t get hit at a lot. When I take her out, we get hit at. But we expect the people to handle that. We were a little off tonight (fielding) and you have those nights,” Walton said.
Sheets struck out 7 and walked a pair of Bucyrus batters over 5 innings.
Hargis said the win can be a catalyst for success this season.
“Beyond a doubt. We start three freshmen, and we have some excellent ball players. We have great athletes, but some of them aren’t ball players yet so we are still working on that.”
The Lady Redmen’s attitude has been stellar, he said.
“It’s a pleasure working with them. They’re a good group of kids and they know what they have to do, and they go do it. It’s exciting to see a group of kids put their nose to the grindstone and come out here and win.
“We got Galion tomorrow and two with Colonel Crawford next week,” Hargis. “We got a lot of playing to do, but that’s a nice win.”
Box score
Mohawk 000 000 1 1 4 3
Bucyrus 003 000 X 3 4 1
WP: Kendra Blizzard (8 SO, 1 W)
LP: Lacie Wagner (2 SO, 0 W)
HR: None.
Triples: (B) Kendra Blizzard.
Doubles: (M) A.J. Chevalier.
Multiple hits: None.
Records: Mohawk 1-1, 1-1 N10; Bucyrus 1-1, 1-1 N10.
Next: Norwalk St. Paul at Mohawk (2), Saturday; Galion at Bucyrus, Friday.