The road warrior Piedmont Middle School Scots softball team continued with another slate of four away games last week, posting a perfect 4-0 record, making this a stellar 7-1 road trip stretch overall.
The Scots opened the week on May 4 with a dominant 17-2 win vs Berkeley’s King Middle School Cobras. All facets were on display in Berkeley, with Bailey Gregovich and Sarina Hill combining to defang the Cobras by allowing just 2 hits over four innings and notching 9 strikeouts while getting flawless support from the defense. The offensive effort was led by Alice Sorensen’s 4 RBIs, including legging out a homerun in the 3rd inning that set off a frenzy in the Piedmont dugout. Bailey Gregovich followed up by unleashing a bomb to right field in the 4th that looked destined to be the second HR of the afternoon but was limited to a standup triple thanks to an ill-considered stop sign by third base coach Alex Joerger. Mackenzie Ewen (3-3, 3 RBI) and Nina Stock (2 RBI) also had key contributions at the plate.
On May 5 the Scots were back in action vs Berkeley’s Longfellow Middle that saw the Scots come away with a 14-5 victory. Though the offense was generated largely from free passes and aggressive base running, there was some extra power on display from Simone Tornatore (2-2, 4 RBI) and Evie Joerger (2B, RBI, 3 runs scored).
In Oakland on May 6 the Scots faced a new opponent, the West Oakland Phoenix, who fielded a team of largely novice players that nonetheless kept the game very tight as the Scots clung to a 1-0 lead through three innings. Piedmont ultimately broke through and prevailed 9-0 thanks to a pair of doubles from Mackenzie Ewen’s hot bat (2-2, 3 RBI) and Clara Blanchard’s pair of RBIs that complemented her three strong defensive plays that helped keep the Phoenix from ever spreading their wings.
Friday’s fourth and final game saw the much-anticipated rematch vs the previously undefeated Montera Toros, who had handed the Scots a gut-wrenching loss in walk-off fashion barely a week prior. Fans were not disappointed as the teams combined for another electric show on the diamond and this time Piedmont seized the moment, ending the game with a dramatic tag-out by catcher Simone Tornatore on an attempted steal of home that sealed the 8-7 triumph. The 8th grade pitching aces Madi Farboud and Bailey Gregovich again carried the load from the circle, allowing only 6 hits and notching 11 strikeouts over 6 innings of work.
A balanced offensive effort saw standout contributions from: Alice Sorensen (2-4, 3 runs scored), Simone Tornatore (2-3, 3 RBI), Kiera Spina (2-3, 1 RBI) and Madi Farboud (2-3, 1 RBI).
The Scots return home for playoff matches on Tuesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 14 on Witter Field. Both games start at 6 p.m.