VC girls, off to fast start, win 8-3

By RICK REMSNYDER
Posted 4/20/22

Valley Central’s softball team finally got its offense revved up with a five-run sixth inning to post an 8-3 non-league victory over Beacon on Saturday.

The Vikings are off to a fast 3-0 …

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VC girls, off to fast start, win 8-3

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Valley Central’s softball team finally got its offense revved up with a five-run sixth inning to post an 8-3 non-league victory over Beacon on Saturday.

The Vikings are off to a fast 3-0 start.

Valley Central’s top of the order did the bulk of the damage against the host Bulldogs, who dropped to 1-4.

Leadoff hitter Emilia Brundage, who drove in two runs in the sixth inning, had a double and a single.

No. 2 hitter Lauren Serrao smacked a triple, two singles and picked up an RBI.

Brianna Robinson, who batted third in Valley Central’s order, had a huge day with a triple, two doubles and two RBIs.

Vikings coach Katie Farrugia, who is in her eighth season at the helm, was glad to see her club break open a tight game with the big inning. The Vikings were nursing a 3-2 lead heading into the sixth.

“We needed to wake up the bats a little bit sooner,” Farrugia said. “But eventually they did, which is good. They were aggressive on the bases and they got the job done. That’s what matters.”

Valley Central had six stolen bases with Sarah Menendez leading the way with two thefts.

Farrugia was also pleased with the team’s strong defense, which backed up solid pitching from starter Talia Wutz and reliever Bella Mayo.

The Vikings took a 1-0 lead on Megan Mann’s sacrifice fly in the top of the first.

Wutz issued a pair of walks in the bottom of the inning and Beacon jumped ahead 2-1 when Haleigh Zukowski drove in two runs with a double to left-center field.

Valley Central scored a pair of runs in the top of the third to go back on top 3-2.

Serrao got things started with a one-out single. After stealing second, Serrao easily scored to make it 2-2 on Robinson’s long triple to right field.

Robinson rushed home with the go-ahead run when Zukowski, Beacon’s catcher, threw to second on a steal attempt by Alyssa Bonilla, who had walked. Robinson easily beat the throw back to home plate.

Wutz, who gave up just two hits, departed the mound after four innings with a 3-2 lead.
After Mayo retired the side in order in the bottom of the fifth, the Vikings put it away with their five-run outburst in the sixth.

All the scoring came after the first two Vikings were retired. Menendez got the rally going with a walk and pinch hitter Autumn Strobach followed with a single. Mayo walked to load the bases and Menendez scored on a wild pitch by Beacon starter and loser Mikayla Sheehan to make it 4-2.

Brundage broke it open by plating two runs with a single to up the lead to 6-2. Serrao’s RBI triple made it 7-2 and Robinson’s pop-fly double drove in the final run to pad the lead to 8-2.
Mayo had five strikeouts in three innings of relief and gave up only an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh.

Brundage, a sophomore, is hopeful that the Vikings can keep piling up the wins.

“I think we’re going to accomplish a lot this year,” she said. “It’s been pretty good so far. We’ve got a long season ahead of us. It depends on all the hard work we put into it.”
Valley Central, a Class AA school, compiled an 11-10 overall mark last season.

The Vikings were scheduled to travel to play Newburgh Free Academy in a crossover game at 4 p.m. Monday.

Farrugia said the Vikings will face a lot of tough foes in 2022.

“All the AA schools are very competitive,” she said. “We just kind of worry about what we’re doing every day. And what we can do to win every game.”
The veteran coach likes the balance her team has shown so far.

“I think we have a little bit of everything,” Farrugia said. “We have offense and really solid defense this year. We run the bases. We have experience. My team is young, but they’ve all been on the team for almost two years with the exception of one or two girls.”