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SPRINGFIELD — Ryleigh Frye supplied good at bats, and her defense at second base was terrific Monday afternoon.
The senior caught everything that came her way during Springfield’s 6-3 victory over Garnet Valley. Frye snagged back-to-back line drives in the fourth inning, robbing Jenna Fulmer and Ava Sharp of hits. She should’ve had an assist at home plate in the fourth inning, when the runner at third base started for home after Frye ran down a shallow fly ball in right field. Alas, the Cougars botched the rundown and the Jags scored their first of three unearned runs off sophomore Payton Feeney, who pitched a complete game four-hitter with 10 strikeouts.
At the plate, Frye batted cleanup and went 2-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. She started rallies with singles in the third and fourth innings.
“I know I have to be ready for anything,” said Frye, whose sophomore sister, Kayla, bats fifth and plays shortstop for the Cougars.
Feeney, in her second season as the No. 1 pitcher, was in control most of the afternoon.
“I know I can trust (catcher) Nikki (Morrison) with any pitch. I was just trying to mix my pitches and hit my spots,” Feeney said.
Feeney worked around singles by Alaina Sareyka and Zoey Rogers in the first inning. She was in cruise control until the fifth when the Jaguars, aided by two Springfield errors, scored three runs. Rogers cranked a two-run homer to trim GV’s deficit to 6-3, but Feeney responded with a strikeout of Madalyn Stiles to end the frame.
“I think we have a little bit of everything this year,” longtime Springfield coach Todd Odgers said. “We’ve got senior leaders and we’ve got some really nice young players. We’re still kind of learning how to play together, but considering where we are in the season, I think that we’re playing really good team softball right now. Everybody’s got a positive attitude. I’ve got 11 players that I feel very confident with at the plate. We really do have good sticks up and down the lineup. We’re getting good defense and great pitching. Nikki’s doing a great job calling the games behind the plate. All is well right now.”
Morrison hit a sacrifice fly to deep center to chase home Julia Fegley with the game’s first run in the second inning. GV center fielder Amy Roux made a great running catch to rob Morrison of extra bases.
The Cougars tacked on four runs and sent eight hitters to the plate in the third. Maggie Poiesz drilled an RBI single and moved to second on the throw. Poiesz didn’t stop running, and when Rylee Bailey airmailed the throw to third base, she scored to make it a 4-0 game. Later in the inning Ava Craddock grounded out to second base, driving home Fegley, who singled.
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Springfield pitcher Payton Feeney throws against Garnet Valley Monday at Halderman Field. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)
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