New Athens knocks off defending state softball champion

It doesn’t mean much in the standings, but for a young team trying to gauge just how good it can be, the victory was eye opening.

New Athens blew open a fourth-inning tie with a 10-run fifth to short-game the defending Class 2A state champion Nashville Hornets, 12-2, in high school softball action Monday.

The Yellow Jackets won their 1A regional tournament last year, the first time the New Athens softball team has done so in consecutive seasons. With most of the starting lineup returning, head coach Conrad Widdersheim and his three seniors believe this team has a chance to be special.

That can’t be confirmed with 21 games remaining on the schedule, but a 6-0 start that includes a win over the state champion of the next highest class can certainly be a springboard.

“We were really nervous about this one, but as our coach said, winning it is a feather in our cap,” said New Athens third baseman Sophie Cooper, who drove home five runs on two hits during the decisive fifth-inning rally. “I hope and I really want this group to be the team we go to state with. A win like this feels great."

New Athens pounded out 13 hits in the game, including nine in the fifth, off Nashville starter Deidra Holzhauer.

"Validating is a good word,” aid Widdersheim. “In terms of the season, we felt like if we could beat Nashville, we can beat anybody. It's nice to come out and play a non-conference game — a game that really shouldn't matter — and show ourselves and the surrounding area that we are ready to play with anybody."

Pitching

Senior Abby Marlow lowered her season’s ERA to .61, allowing just two unearned Nasvhille runs in the top of the fifth. She struck out three, walked one and allowed two hits.

Marlow was on the losing end of a 10-0 short-game to the Hornets last season.

“Last year, I struggled with that. I didn't get those corners and they smashed the ball,” she said. “I learned my lesson — I had to hit the corners and make the off-speed and movement work. The defense also had my back all the way."

Holzhauer entered the game 3-1 and having struck out 16 batters in 23 innings pitched. She got one strike out Monday.

"New Athens did a really good job hitting the ball where it was pitched,” said first-year Nashville coach Shawn Renth. “They went opposite way a lot. They hit the ball up and down the lineup. They didn’t seem to have a week spot.”

Key Moments

New Athens took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth with RBI hits by Jordan Drake and Jenna Alfeldt. Nashville tied it in the top of the fifth when freshman Sophie Heck doubled deep to center and Libby Ahlers reached safely on a sacrifice attempt. Both runners scored on an error.

In the decisive fifth, the Yellow Jackets sent 14 batters to the plate and scored six runs ahead of their first out. Cooper doubled deep to left to plate three runs in her first at-bat of the inning, then singled home two more to end the game.

Shortstop Alana Lance drove home two runs on a pair of hits during the inning while Hannah Daab, Casey Wilderman and Taylor Junge each drove home one.

What’s next

Nashville (3-2) is at home against Carlyle Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. New Athens (6-0) travels to Valmeyer Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 9:02 PM with the headline "New Athens knocks off defending state softball champion."