CENTERBURG — It didn’t take the Centerburg girls softball team long to show why it’s 21-3 overall and 12-1 in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference.
Senior Abby Herren led off the bottom of the first inning with no doubt about it, a home run to centerfield. Jazmyn Larimore, a sophomore, drilled a two-run round tripper later in the same inning.
Larimore finished with 6 RBIs and was a one-woman wrecking crew in the Trojans’ 12-1 sectional tournament win over Pleasant on Thursday night.
The Spartans are now 7-17.
Centerburg coach Chuck Shank said Pleasant was a better team than their posted record.
“Pleasant may have been a 14th seed, but their record was deceiving, they played some really good teams and defeated some really good teams,” the coach said. “Their pitcher was averaging double digits in strikeouts a gamer so we knew we had to stay focused and not look past them, or it could have been the end of our tournament run.”
Even though the coach has respect for the visiting team, he was not surprised at the outcome.
“We are a very good hitting team,” Shank said. “We have won 15 of our games by seven or more runs.”
The young lady toeing the rubber has been a force, too.
“Our pitcher, Morgan Beaver has done an excellent job this year. She has not walked more than one batter in her last 10 games,” Shank said.
With the win, the Trojans have earned the right to host North Union on Monday with a trip to Pickerington North looming in a potential district title tilt next Thursday.
Shank had high praise for his team.
“This team has been a joy to coach. We knew at the beginning of the year that we had a good team,” he said. “Our goals were to win the KMAC and the district and we hope to accomplish one goal and continue on to the next goal next week.”
Centerburg will travel to Loudonville Saturday night. A win will earn them a tie atop the KMAC with cross-county rivals, Danville.
