Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Early lead holds up as Kennett tops Oxford
KENNETT SQUARE >> On paper, it was a classic matchup. One of the top pitchers in the area, Kennett’s Genevieve Ebaugh, would be facing a divisional rival in Oxford, who had been absolutely mashing the ball at the plate of late. Just last week, the Hornets pounded out nearly 40 hits in a pair of Mercy rule wins.
Monday’s game was not the cleanest, sharply played softball—the lone earned run of the game was the first one scored. But it was tight and tense,
as the teams battled hard until the last out was recorded, and Kennett (7-3, 6-3) emerged with the 3-1 win over Oxford (4-6, 4-4).
“We were aggressive on the bases, and got some runs up on the board, and that was enough to win,” said Kennett coach Lauren Gottstein. “We’re starting to come around on defense, and doing a lot of things right. But we just aren’t getting the timely hits like we should. We just have to start hitting the ball.”
The two teams combined for just six hits on the afternoon, with each team getting three. But both teams played small ball—dropping down bunts and using speed on the basepaths, forcing some sloppy defensive play along the way.
Kennett grabbed the early lead, plating a pair in the home half of the first. Shannon Harvey led off for the Blue Demons, and drilled a shot to the fence in deep left, pulling in with a double. Brooke Underwood followed with a single to left to score Harvey, and moved up to second on a wild pitch. With Ebaugh drawing a walk on a ball the skirted away from the Hornets catcher, Underwood
took off for third on the wild pitch, then snuck home when the Hornets left the plate unguarded, making it 2-0 after one.
“I just wanted to get things going,” said Harvey. “We were all hype for the game, and it’s always great to get the lead early. We’re all just having more fun and starting to really enjoy playing together as a team.”
Ebaugh did it all herself in the third, working a walk then promptly swiping second. Then, on the next pitch, she took off for third, coming all the way around to score when the throw sailed behind her and off into left field. The walk
was one of three for the day for Ebaugh. One was fully intentional, but the other two may as well have been. Ebaugh got nothing close to s strike thrown to her all afternoon.
“It’s starting to happen more and more, and it is a little frustrating,” said Ebaugh of not getting anything to hit. “But as long as we are taking advantage of it and scoring, it is what it is. This was a nice team effort today. We’re starting to play good defense, and doing the little things right.”
The Hornets lone run came in the fourth, when McKenna Frank led off the inning with a double, and,
like Ebaugh, scored when a throw trying to thwart a stolen base attempt wound up in left field.
“We got some good at bats today, fouling off a bunch of pitches, and working the counts,” said Oxford coach Josh Socash. “She is a really good pitcher, and we just couldn’t string together enough hits to really get anything going. But, there’s still a lot of season left. We just have to forget this, and get ready for Avon Grove Wednesday.”
Ebaugh picked up the win in the circle with seven strong innings. She allowed one unearned run on three hits, striking out 11 Hornets. She did not issue a single base on balls.
“My change-up was working well for me today,” said Ebaugh. “It felt good to shut down a team that has been hitting as well as they have.”
The Hornets Maddie Frank took the hard luck loss for Oxford, going six innings. She allowed three runs—one earned—on three hits. She struck six and walked six.