By Rob Potter
ELDRED — April 18, 2003 – The S.S. Seward softball team scored early and often Wednesday afternoon.
The Lady Spartans scored four runs in the second inning, one in the third and six in the fourth to take an 11-2 lead after four innings. Seward added a pair of runs in each of the sixth and seventh innings to record a 15-2 victory in the OCIAA Division V game at Eldred.
Pacing the Seward (3-2, 1-0 Division V) offense was Theresa Space, who hit a two-run home run in the seventh and recorded five RBI.
Space and her teammates provided plenty of run support for pitcher Melissa Oliphant. She allowed only two hits and struck out 10 Lady Yellowjackets to earn the victory.
“Mo did a great job,” Seward Coach Don Lewis said of Oliphant. “She really shut them down.”
Lewis was also pleased with his team’s offensive production.
“We pulled it together, got some runners on base and then put together a couple of good hits,” Lewis said. “This gives us a boost, winning our first league game. I’m happy with the team, we were able to execute some things we had been practicing and did what we had to to get the win.”
Steph Venturini registered both hits for Eldred (0-2, 0-1 Division V). She singled to right field in the second inning and singled down the left field line in the fourth.
Brenda Ferry scored the first Eldred run in the bottom of the third. After reaching base when she was hit by a pitch, Ferry stole second base and went to third base on a passed ball. She scored when Jenn Liebmann grounded out to second base.
Venturini hit a one-out single in the fourth and moved to third base after teammates Alli Schombs and Jeanna Harris walked. Two batters later, Venturini ran home on a passed ball.
Eldred pitcher Meg Shafer took the loss. She walked 12 and struck out two in the contest.
“I’m seeing some improvement,” said Eldred Coach Jolene Porter, adding that the Lady Yellowjackets suffered a 15-run rule defeat to Chapel Field the day before. “We made some good plays today and we’re improving.”
Porter noted that the Lady Yellowjackets are a very young team. There are 14 players on the roster, but only one of them is a senior. The rest of the team consists of three juniors and 10 sophomores.
“We’re just taking it game to game,” Porter said.