It’s always easier to feel in control of game when a pitcher is five runs ahead before she steps into the circle.
That’s Hanna Benoit felt after Rampart was done hitting in the top of the 1st inning. Singles from Cecelia Tinan and Melina Garza gave the Rams a three-run pad early and by the time the inning was over it had been pushed to five.
That inning made all the difference as the Rams got an 11-6 win over Pine Creek in a rivalry softball showdown on Wednesday. This is the second straight win for Rampart and it was all thanks to that fast start in the early stages of the game.
“It sets the tone for the game,” Benoit said. “It sets us up for how we’re going to play. Most of the time when we score five runs in the first inning, the game goes well.”
The Rams (5-9 overall, 3-3 Pikes Peak Athletic Conference) ended up scoring six more runs through the course of the game, much to the excitement of the coaching staff.
Situational hitting turned into a big strong point as the Eagles (3-10, 0-6) closed the gap to 5-3 after the first.
“I’m very proud of them,” Rams coach Melissa Martinek said. “I told them that college teams struggle to do that, and we were able to. I think that’s what got us the win.”
After giving up those five runs, Pine Creek junior Madi Heiner settled down and pitched her way through the remainder of the game.
She tried to help her own cause, ripping a hard ground ball to shortstop that was mishandled and allowed a run to score to make it a 7-5 game in the 3rd.
“I knew I had to keep pitching and do better,” Heiner said. “When I got in the box, I knew the only way (we’d come back) is if me and some of the girls could string together some hits and get some runs to stay in it. We battled.”
It’s been a little bit of a struggle for both teams this season, but the benefit for each one is that the rosters are filled with youth. Benoit is one of just two seniors for the Rams and the Eagles have one just one more, rostering only three players they’ll lose at the end of the season.
“We’re still young and not extremely experienced in the softball world as far as high school,” Pine Creek coach Kerri Millikan said. “We’re still learning the game in so many aspects.”
From the other dugout, Martinek echoed the sentiment, but is grateful that as her team will develop through this year and into next that she still has those seniors to lean on.
“It’s been awesome having Hanna,” Martinek said. “She’s a leader on the team and she’s a great hitter. She doesn’t usually hit as much so we’re tying to put her into that role this year and she has stepped up. Offense, defense, everywhere she is on the field, she has a huge impact on this team.”
The Rams have a chance to extend their winning streak to three when they go to Vista Ridge on Monday.