Morgan Nevers of Marysville lashes a base hit against Columbus Northland. The Lady Monarchs beat the Vikings, 19-0, in the opening game of the Division I tournament.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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High school softball teams from the Columbus City League generally don’t put up much, if any, challenge against squads from outside the conference when it comes to tournament time.
Friday evening’s Marysville’s home game against Columbus Northland played along that same line.
The sixth-seeded Lady Monarchs had no trouble in turning back the No. 45 Vikings, 19-0.
The game ended on the run rule after Northland went to the plate during the visitors’ portion of the fifth inning.
Marysville pitchers Brooklyn Gamby and Josie Bumgarner combined to toss a perfect game.
It was 15 up and 15 down for the Vikings through five innings worth of plate appearances.
Northland batters struck out 13 times and hit balls to the infield for the other two at-bats.
Gamby pitched the first two innings and fanned all six batters she faced.
Bumgarner went into the circle for the final three frames. She notched seven punchouts against the nine batters she encountered.
The Lady Monarchs (17-9) tallied eight runs in the home half of the initial inning and crossed the plate during the ensuing three frames.
MHS held a 14-0 advantage after the second inning and plated five additional runs over the course of the third and fourth.
Marysville’s offense was nearly divided between 16 base hits and 12 walks.
Ella Wood and Gamby both doubled in runs during the first.
Abbey Strahm and Sienna Hutchins both droves in runs with singles.
Northland starting pitcher Amy Weeks faced a number of bases-loaded situations after a plethora of free passes.
Lauren Mobley and Camryn Harbold were among the Lady Monarchs who were credited with RBIs after bases-loaded walks.
Sydney Calhoon doubled in a run in the second.
Morgan Nevers drove in a run with a base hit, while Harbold and Gamby drew bases-loaded free passes to help account for the six-run inning.
The Lady Monarchs took a 16-0 advantage in the bottom of the third.
Jillian Rausch singled in a run and another score came as the result of a Northland fielding miscue.
Lilly McKinney, Nevers and Savannah Jenkins were credited with ribbies to round out the Marysville scoring in the fourth.
The Vikings recorded a number of outs when Lady Monarch runners left base early to help speed up the flow of the game.
“It was nice to get everyone into the game tonight,” said Marysville head coach Jennifer Segner-Maxwell. “It’s always good when you can get your younger players some varsity experience.”
The Lady Monarchs will now have to shift gears for their next tournament contest.
They will travel to play at fifth-seeded Grove City at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Greyhounds topped No. 8 Gahanna on Friday.
“The tournament competition is going to become real next week,” said Segner-Maxwell.
North. 000 00-0 0 2
MHS 862 3x-19 16 0
WP: Gamby
LP: Weeks