By Thomas Sellers Jr.
The first third of the season has established the Tipton-Rosemark Academy Lady Rebels can hit the softball.
Another proven fact is senior Charli Rice still has her dominate stuff that helps the Lady Rebels be one of the favorites in Division II-A West Region. Now as Head Coach Johnie Sanfratello’s squad enters the second third of the 2021 campaign, he is trying to established a second pitcher from the rubber with juniors Ryleigh Bowers and Addie Glass.
The Fayette Academy Lady Vikings will testify after April 6 that TRA took a huge step in the right direction. The Lady Rebels dominated the action for an 18-0 win at Lady Rebel Field.
“I’m really pleased with the way we’re playing,” Sanfratello said. “That makes us 12-5 with four one-run losses to really good teams. Of course we had that Brighton game.
“I’ve been real pleased with the way we hit,” he continued. “This team can swing it. As long as we can put together those kind of runs, we don’t have to necessarily rely on Charli to mow everybody down. We’ve done a really good job of hitting the ball and if that continues we have a really good shot.”
After jumping out 5-0 in the first inning, the Lady Rebels brought even more lubber in the second inning starting with an Ali Naumann leadoff single. Naumann stole a base and scored on a Lady Viking pass ball to make the score 6-0.
Meanwhile the bases became loaded with walks to Kayla Clement, Brooke Harrison and Wyah Wright. TRA eighth grader Addie Thorpe smacked a single to drive in a run.
Next up to the plate was Rice. The TRA first baseman drove a double into the outfield to clear bases of Lady Rebels and make the score 10-0.
After Glass singled and Sophie Roane was hit-by-pitch, Naumann continued her season-long hot hitting with a base hit to drive in a runner.
The next big blow of the inning came off the back of Harrison with a triple to make the tally 14-0. Clement drove Harrison in with a base hit to make the score 15-0.
Wright was the second out of the frame but drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. The final two RBIs of the inning came courtesy of Gracen Williams and Brooklyn Rose. Rose drove in Williams with a double.
With that league win in the books, the Lady Rebels move to focus on tough local challenges and jumping back into league play throughout April.
“JCS they’re going to be there with us,” Sanfratello noted. “Trinity of course and USJ came in here and it was a 4-1 game. We pulled it out. We still had double digit hits in that game just couldn’t come up with the timely hit. Its going to come down to those four teams.We’ve still got 8 or 9 left in district.
“We’ve got to have our two and three pitchers come out and throw strikes,” he concluded. “They have to pitch to contact and allow our defense to work. We’re going to score runs. We need somebody to step into that No. 2 role as far as our pitching.”
The Lady Rebels were set to travel to Brighton Thursday night. Earlier this season, the Lady Cardinals dominated TRA 16-1 on the Lady Rebel Softball Field.
The Lady Rebels returned the favor to Brighton in the rematch 14-1.
Lady Cardinal Brie Howard drove in Brighton’s only run with a homer.
TRA’s Myah Wright got into the home run act with a dinger. And Ali Naumann drove in 4 runs in the Lady Rebel victory.
