South Range captures third sectional title, 6-2

Sophomore Skye Walley pitched a complete-game five-hitter.
By RYAN JONES
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
HANOVERTON -- On the strength of a five-run third inning and strong pitching from sophomore Skye Walley, the South Range High softball team beat United 6-2 in the Division III tournament Wednesday.
It was the Raiders' third straight sectional championship.
Walley struck out the first four batters she faced, finishing with a complete-game five-hitter. Both runs she allowed were unearned.
"She was changing speeds well and getting the first strike on batters," South Range coach Ray Thomas said.
Most of her six strikeouts came courtesy of her changeup.
"It's my favorite pitch," Walley said. "At the beginning of the season it wasn't working well at all, but towards the end of the season it has really started to come along."
In the fifth inning United managed to break up the shutout. Mandy Foster's fly ball to center was misplayed, allowing two runs to score.
Pitches out of jam
United threatened again in the top half of the sixth by loading the bases, but Walley was able to escape the jam.
"I was a little nervous, but I knew even if they put the ball in play I had a great defense behind me backing me up," Walley said.
Thomas added, "We pride ourselves on defense. It wins games, and we have been playing good defense."
The bats came alive in the third inning for the Raiders.
"We had been struggling hitting but it's coming around at the right time for us," said Thomas. "It [the third] was a big inning for us. We were able to hit the ball enough to get the runs across."
Walley led off with a single, followed by Jessie Clayton's infield hit. Amy Algeo's double scored both runners. Two batters later, Andrea Hazel hit an RBI single and Lynn O'Connell singled home two more for a 5-0 lead.
South Range added a run in the fifth when O'Connell, who went 3-for-3, collected her third RBI of the game, driving in Sam Hoover with a single.