Since joining the Grand River Conference in 2016, one would have to put the softball program at Trenton High School at the top of the mountain in dominant squads in recent years in the GRC, with the 2018 edition “planting its flag on top of the mountain with dominant play”.
On Thursday night, THS finished off a perfect 7-0 run through the GRC East with a 7-0 win at Gallatin, clinching a spot in the conference’s championship game on Thursday, September 27th without, through seven tests, allowing a single run, outscoring their foes 60-0 over that run. Gallatin starting pitcher Karley Salmon no-hit Trenton through three innings last night, only to be matched by no-hit stuff from Trenton’s Ainsley Tolson.
The second time through the order against Salmon, THS struck. Mykah Hurley, in the fourth inning, got a one-out single and stole second, advancing to third on an errant throw into the outfield. A sacrifice fly by Maci Moore scored the only run Trenton would need in gaining the victory. With two outs, Salem Croy was pitch by a pitch, with courtesy runner Gracyn Rongey stealing second and scoring on a base hit by Taylor Richman.
After Sidney Lynch was hit by pitch, moving Richman to second, a single to center field by Lexi Whitaker drove in Taylor, making the score 3-0.
In the visitor’s fifth inning, Mykah Hurley’s single drove in Tolson, with the throw to the plate getting away, sending Hurley scampering to third. A Maci Moore ground ball scored Hurley to push the lead to 5-0, with THS adding single runs in the sixth and seventh innings for insurance.
Continuing her lockdown senior season, Tolson was superb for Trenton from the circle, holding Gallatin to a sixth-inning single by Essie Williamson, while striking out 13 batters. In Trenton’s last four games, three of them GRC wins, Tolson has racked up a 4-0 record, 37 strikeouts in 24 innings, a perfect game against Polo on Thursday, September 13th, a four-inning perfect game on Tuesday night against Milan, a one-hitter against Gallatin, and a two-hitter against Lawson (on Monday).
Both Trenton and Gallatin will be in Saturday’s Nan Carter Tournament at Trenton High School, with THS playing South Harrison at 9 AM, Brookfield at 1:30 PM (on Hot Country Z 101.7), Platte Valley at 4:30 PM (on KTTN FM 92.3), in addition to Saturday night’s bracket game against a to be determined opponent (on KTTN FM 92.3).
Gallatin’s Saturday schedule starts at 9 AM with a game against Milan, with a test against Marceline at 12 noon, and a meeting with North Harrison at 3 PM. All of Gallatin’s games will be played at Johnson Field in Trenton, with Gallatin also playing in a bracket game at either 6 o’clock or 7:30 on Saturday night, in the four-game event.
The Trenton junior varsity, on Thursday, collected their second win of the season, 12-3 at Gallatin. Trenton scored at least one run in all five innings of the game, led by Gracyn Rongey with a 2 for 4 effort, with a triple and 3 RBI’s. Jena Reeter was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored, Chloe Harrison had three walks and three steals, Morgan King an RBI double, and Kammi Phillips an RBI single.
Here are the softball scores from Thursday, September 20, 2018:
Putnam County 15, South Harrison 0
Maysville 5, Princeton 3
Polo 10, Winston 0
North Harrison 12, Milan 5
Platte Valley 5, Worth County 3 (9 innings)
Lathrop 4, Lawson 2
Hamilton 10, West Platte 0
From Wednesday Night:
Hamilton 10, Savannah 0
Putnam County 5, Maysville 4
