Staff Report

The Mount Airy Granite Bears softball team picked up a lopsided win Tuesday, defeating visiting Elkin 10-0 in five innings.

Bears pitcher Rachel Harris had another good outing, holding the Buckin’ Elks scoreless in the win.

Mount Airy coach Olivia Bolen said she was happy with her team’s performance Tuesday, particularly with the at bats the Bears put together.

“The girls showed a lot of patience at the plate,” Bolen said. “Today was different from pitchers that we have faced in our conference. We started off slow in the first and second innings, but I think they really did well in the later part of the game.”

The Bears’ patience helped them pick up a three-run third inning, using suspect pitching by Elkin to their advantage.

Mount Airy’s Kourtney Wagoner walked to start things off followed by a Courtney Isaacs single up the middle to put runners on first and second with one out. Megan Sechrist was then walked to load the bases, followed by Katie Joyce getting hit by a pitch to push in Wagoner. Sarah Connolly walked to plate Isaacs, and Sechrist scored after she was able to elude the Elkin defense after getting caught in a run down between home and third.

The inning gave the Bears the momentum needed to cruise into the win by way of slaughter rule.

Bolen said the Bears’ baserunning was key to the victory.

“At the beginning of the year, we struggled a lot with stranding baserunners and we have been working on having them have the mentality of always advancing on the bases and making the defense stop you,” Bolen said. “It was good to see them using all of that in a game situation. Whenever they could get an extra base, they did.”

The win improves the Bears to 3-5 overall and 3-4 in Northwest 1-A Conference play. Mount Airy will play South Stokes at home next Tuesday.

MOUNT AIRY 10,

ELKIN 0

Elkin 000 000 — 0 4 2

Mount Airy 013 042 — 10 11 0

WP: Rachel Harris

LP: Wagoner

2B: E — Walsh