Softball: Newark keeps momentum, dominates Serena in key LTC win

SERENA – Newark has hit, pitched and fielded the ball well all season, and that trend continued in Monday’s Little Ten Conference game against Serena in a battle of undefeated conference teams.

The Norsemen pounded 14 hits, half of them for extra bases, got a solid pitching effort from Kodi Rizzo and played mistake-free in the field, and that led to a dominating 14-0 victory in six innings over the Huskers.

Newark improved to 22-1 overall and 10-0 in the LTC, while Serena fell to 16-6 and 8-1. The teams will play again on Tuesday in Newark.

“The biggest key for us in any game is having the ability to put the ball in play,” Newark coach Tim Schofield said. “While we were pretty solid at the plate most of the game, I thought we also got ourselves out more than we should have by not attacking certain pitches.

“I think everyone in our lineup knows that even if you are having a bad day at the plate that someone else is going to pick you up.”

—  Peyton Wohead, Newark senior catcher

“We’ve hit the ball well all season, with I believe five girls hitting over .500. Part of that was a key today of taking what the pitcher is giving you. We did a great job of staying behind the ball, just going with the outside pitch and driving it the other way.”

Newark scored twice in the first inning on RBI doubles by Kaitlyn Schofield and Peyton Wohead off Serena starter Maddie Glade. The visitors would add four more in the second on a run-scoring hits by Kodi Rizzo (triple), Schofield (single), Danica Peshia (double) and Ryan Williams (double).

The Norsemen made it 9-0 in the fourth on another run-scoring double by Wohead, and RBIs by Kate Bromeland and Dorothy Wood (single).

Wohead finished the game with four hits, including two doubles and three RBIs, while Willaims had three hits and a walk in four at-bats.

“Every time up I’m just looking for my pitch, [but] I’m not telling you what that pitch is because I don’t want everyone knowing that,” the Newark senior catcher said with a laugh. “I’ve actually faced Maddie a lot in the past, so I have a pretty good idea of how she’s going to try and pitch me. I tried to use the experience of those past at-bats against her today, and I guess it worked out.

“I think everyone in our lineup knows that even if you are having a bad day at the plate that someone else is going to pick you up.”

Newark closed the game with five runs in the sixth with a Taylor Kruser sacrifice fly, a Wohead RBI single, and three runs scoring on errors.

Rizzo, who recorded two hits along with Scholfield and Wood, fired the complete-game shutout, scattering three hits, with only one walk and 10 strikeouts.

“Her fastball on the inner half of the plate was really effective today,” Wohead said. “Whenever we were in a jam that was the pitch that we more than likely went to. She pitched a really good game from start to finish.”

Paisley Twait had a triple and single for Serena, while Jenna Setchell added a base hit for the Huskers. Of the 14 runs allowed by Glade, seven were unearned. Newark had nine hits to the opposite field.

“They are good and a team that you can tell has been went to state last year,” Serena coach Kelly Baker said. “They have the ability to make adjustments and come through in any situation. You just have to tip your hat to them and their performance today.

“That said, I was disappointed with how we responded in many situations throughout the game. Today we made some of the same mistakes, and not just fielding and throwing errors that we’ve made now the last few games.

“Newark isn’t a team that you can give extra outs or not get outs when they are an option. They took advantage of nearly every mistake we made.”