MAYFIELD–Sydney Murray allowed just one hit and struck out nine in Chardon’s 6-0 victory over host Mayfield on Monday.
“Honestly, not thinking about (Mayfield’s) 12-4 record,” Murray said when talking about staying poised throughout the course of the game. “I was focusing on what I have to do as a pitcher and as a hitter.”
The Hilltoppers came out of the gate swinging a hot bat, scoring three in the first two innings and adding their other three runs in the fifth inning.
Murray never allowed Mayfield to string together hits.
“We rely on pitching, especially Sydney Murray,” Chardon coach Stewart Landies said. “Our defense is phenomenal, we make very few errors, and when (Murray) throws strikes, we are generally going to be successful. Her bouncing back after this weekend where she struggled, I’m proud of the way she pitched.”
Grace Legan reached on an error to start the game and Sarah Sutton hit a two-out single to give Chardon an early 1-0 lead.
Nicole Krakora and Murray hit back-to-back one-out singles in the second and then Jadyn Tarantino cleared the bases with a single to push the Hilltopper lead to 3-0.
Legan started Chardon’s three-run, fifth-inning rally with a single. Amy O’Brien followed with a one-out single that left runners at the corners. Sutton tripled and scored on Madison Zombory’s RBI single.
Sutton finished the day 2-for-3 with three RBI and a walk.
“We didn’t want to slow down,” Sutton said. “We really just wanted to keep going and have fun and that is how we get going.”
O’Brien contributed with a pair of hits. Legan, Zomboroy, Krakora, Tarantino, Murray, and Sidney Nagaj each recorded a hit for the Hilltoppers, who improved to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in the Western Reserve Conference.
Chardon has five more games to play this week starting with a home game against Mayfield on Tuesday.
“It’s all about who’s going to stay rested,” Landies said. “You have teenage girls so it’s not the easiest thing in the world, but they have to eat right and rest all the while doing their studies because with these rainouts we’re going to play six games a week and it’ll be a battle. I think we are ready, and we have a mature group of kids that love to play softball.”
