Callie Baucom powered a 2-run shot to left-centerfield in the second inning. | Ross Burton
BLYTHEWOOD – The Blythewood softball bats didn’t waste any time laying the aluminum to Irmo Tuesday night. In their Region 5-5A opener, the Bengals banged out 13 hits and took advantage of four Irmo errors. When the game was cut off in the third because of the 15-run rule, Blythewood walked off with a 15-0 victory.
“We started off slow early in the season, but in the last two games the girls have really been hitting hard, been working hard,” head coach Jordan Atkinson said. “I finally got some of my bats that had been struggling to get it going today.”
Blythewood (5-3) sent 24 batters to the plate to Irmo’s 11.
Grace Campbell, hitting in the sixth spot, cashed in with a 3-for-3 night, hitting an RBI double in the first inning and blasting a solo home run in the second.
No. 3 hitter Callie Baucom also went deep, swatting a 2-run shot to left centerfield in the second.
Leadoff batter Emily Babbitt finished the shortened game going 3-for-3 with two doubles.
“We did well especially with Emily Babbitt leading off,” Atkinson said. “Grace Campbell, a senior, came through and had a big game, and Callie Baucom continues to stay hot.”
Kendall Parker, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, pitched three scoreless innings and gave up two hits.
Blythewood scored four runs on three hits and two Irmo Irmo (4-3) errors in the first inning.
The Bengals sent 10 batters to the plate in the second inning and netted six more runs on two home runs, a double, two singles and two more errors.
Blythewood didn’t get an out in its 5-run third. Babbitt led off the frame with a double, Savannah Coyne reached on an error that scored Babbitt. After Baucom single, both Coyne and Baucom scored on Parker’s single.
Taelor Fulmore, the courtesy runner for Parker, scored on Kailey Shannon’s double to leftfield.
Ellen Rogers, the courtesy runner for Shannon, was barely introduced into the game before she too crossed the plate. When Rogers did—after the plate umpire ruled she was safe because of Irmo catcher Sophie Caylee’s interfering her course on the basepath—the game was called.
Blythewood travels to Irmo Friday.
“It was a good sign,” Atkinson said about the win. “I challenged the girls this week, we play Irmo again Friday and we’ve got to take care of business today, practice tomorrow, and then go do it again.”
IHS – 0-0-0 – 0,2,4
BHS – 4-6-5 –15, 13, 0
WP: Kendall Parker LP: Abbi Clem
Hitters: BHS – Grace Campbell 3-3, HR, 2B; Emily Babbitt 3-3, 32B; Callie Baucom 2-3, HR; Kailey Shannon 2B.
