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Mar. 18—Pisgah softball is off to a hot 3-0 start after getting a little bit of a late start to the season.
The Bears had to postpone a couple of early-season match-ups due to missing several players who are also on the girls' basketball team, which was making a run through the state tournament.
Last week, the team hosted Erwin in Pisgah's first game with all of its players available. The Bears grabbed a commanding 10-3 win in the contest.
"It was our second game on the field, but I was very impressed with the way we executed some things," said Pisgah Coach Heidi Morgan. "It was a learning experience, simply because there were a couple of things we hadn't been able to go over in practice yet."
Sophomore Lilly Inman had a big night for the Bears, both in the circle and at the plate. She pitched the full seven innings, only allowing the three runs, while also blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead out.
That's just what the Bears are going to need out of her all season.
"Lilly is going to be a huge key component to our success this year, with her in the circle, and then her ability to be such a powerful bat," Morgan said. "In the off-season, she put the work in, and I'm excited to see her grow this year."
While Inman's home run was the most memorable part of her night, it was far from the most impactful.
In the top of both the sixth and seventh innings, the Warriors managed to load the bases without recording a single out.
Both times, however, Inman and her defenders behind her buckled down. Erwin scored one run each time, squandering what could have been a couple of huge chances for the visitors to get back into the game.
"Adversity is going to make us stronger, especially early in the season," Morgan said. "Teams are going to hit, and we've got to have the defense behind her and trusting each other. I was glad we were put into those moments so we could work through them."
The final out of the night was recorded on a groundout to junior shortstop Alexis Markos, who was joining the team after basketball season.
The junior made a handful of big plays throughout the night. On offense, she scored a run, got a hit and drew a walk. But her bigger impact came from a handful of great plays.
The ball seemed to find Markos and, on most occasions, the junior found the out.
"Markos is a worker. She's going to give us 100% regardless of the time of year," Morgan said. "She's been working during basketball season. She kept hitting and throwing, and her command at shortstop is just a calming presence. The team trusts her. They know that she's going to be there and make plays. She's another key component to our defense."
Offensive fireworks
The offense for the Bears was working from the first pitch. Pisgah scored double-digit runs in all three games so far this season and looks to be a force on that side of the ball.
Senior Jaiden Smith sparked the offense with a leadoff double in the first inning. She would come around to score later in the inning.
The very next inning, the Bears would add another run on a passed ball before Smith would tack two more runs onto the tally with another double.
"Her senior leadership coming into this season is extremely important," Morgan said. "For a lead-off to be able to rope a double and be able to get us started, it just helps our momentum. It helps everything keep rolling. Being able to have the power up there as a lead-off is something a lot of teams don't have."
The offense executed throughout the night. In only one inning, the fifth, did the Bears not score a run. Junior Kylie Henson added one double of her own, but the other eight hits were singles. Pisgah also tacked on six free passes.
The Bears weren't smoking every hit, but they were making good contact and putting the ball in play.
"Just to be able to move those runners, being able to execute those big plays offensively and have some long drives and gappers to score on, that's the name of the game," Morgan said.
While temperatures have been warm early in the season, they began to drop in the late innings, bringing a chill to the spectators. Despite that, they stayed loud and supported their Bears.
"The Canton community, Pisgah Nation, is like no one else," Morgan said. "I'll put them up against anybody. Them coming out and supporting my girls is just super important to us, to the girls and to the coaches, to know we have that support behind us."
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The Bears had to postpone a couple of early-season match-ups due to missing several players who are also on the girls' basketball team, which was making a run through the state tournament.
Last week, the team hosted Erwin in Pisgah's first game with all of its players available. The Bears grabbed a commanding 10-3 win in the contest.
"It was our second game on the field, but I was very impressed with the way we executed some things," said Pisgah Coach Heidi Morgan. "It was a learning experience, simply because there were a couple of things we hadn't been able to go over in practice yet."
Sophomore Lilly Inman had a big night for the Bears, both in the circle and at the plate. She pitched the full seven innings, only allowing the three runs, while also blasting a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead out.
That's just what the Bears are going to need out of her all season.
"Lilly is going to be a huge key component to our success this year, with her in the circle, and then her ability to be such a powerful bat," Morgan said. "In the off-season, she put the work in, and I'm excited to see her grow this year."
While Inman's home run was the most memorable part of her night, it was far from the most impactful.
In the top of both the sixth and seventh innings, the Warriors managed to load the bases without recording a single out.
Both times, however, Inman and her defenders behind her buckled down. Erwin scored one run each time, squandering what could have been a couple of huge chances for the visitors to get back into the game.
"Adversity is going to make us stronger, especially early in the season," Morgan said. "Teams are going to hit, and we've got to have the defense behind her and trusting each other. I was glad we were put into those moments so we could work through them."
The final out of the night was recorded on a groundout to junior shortstop Alexis Markos, who was joining the team after basketball season.
The junior made a handful of big plays throughout the night. On offense, she scored a run, got a hit and drew a walk. But her bigger impact came from a handful of great plays.
The ball seemed to find Markos and, on most occasions, the junior found the out.
"Markos is a worker. She's going to give us 100% regardless of the time of year," Morgan said. "She's been working during basketball season. She kept hitting and throwing, and her command at shortstop is just a calming presence. The team trusts her. They know that she's going to be there and make plays. She's another key component to our defense."
Offensive fireworks
The offense for the Bears was working from the first pitch. Pisgah scored double-digit runs in all three games so far this season and looks to be a force on that side of the ball.
Senior Jaiden Smith sparked the offense with a leadoff double in the first inning. She would come around to score later in the inning.
The very next inning, the Bears would add another run on a passed ball before Smith would tack two more runs onto the tally with another double.
"Her senior leadership coming into this season is extremely important," Morgan said. "For a lead-off to be able to rope a double and be able to get us started, it just helps our momentum. It helps everything keep rolling. Being able to have the power up there as a lead-off is something a lot of teams don't have."
The offense executed throughout the night. In only one inning, the fifth, did the Bears not score a run. Junior Kylie Henson added one double of her own, but the other eight hits were singles. Pisgah also tacked on six free passes.
The Bears weren't smoking every hit, but they were making good contact and putting the ball in play.
"Just to be able to move those runners, being able to execute those big plays offensively and have some long drives and gappers to score on, that's the name of the game," Morgan said.
While temperatures have been warm early in the season, they began to drop in the late innings, bringing a chill to the spectators. Despite that, they stayed loud and supported their Bears.
"The Canton community, Pisgah Nation, is like no one else," Morgan said. "I'll put them up against anybody. Them coming out and supporting my girls is just super important to us, to the girls and to the coaches, to know we have that support behind us."
Continue reading...
