666666MUSKEGON TWP. – The Reeths-Puffer softball team has a lot of new faces in the lineup this season, but the Rockets sure looked like the same old winning crew on opening day on Wednesday.
They swept a doubleheader from visiting Cedar Springs, 5-3 in the opener and 14-3 in the second game, which was shortened due to darkness.
“Our confidence kind of grew,” said R-P head coach Sarah Bayle about her team’s performance to open the season. “As the night went on, we got calm and collected. I think the girls really had fun and did a good job of picking each other up. I didn’t hear anything negative throughout the night, and I think that really makes a difference.”
Photo/Jeremy Clark
One player who isn’t new is senior standout pitcher Lainey McDaniel, who was the star of Game 1, tossing a complete game while allowing two earned runs on five hits while striking out 13 batters. She also went 3-for-3 at the plate with 3 doubles.**
Lorelei Herrygers had three singles in the victory while Carlie Guikema also had a single.
In Game 2, the Rockets jumped ahead right away in the top of the first when Herrygers led off with a walk and came around to score on an RBI double from McDaniel.
Later in the inning, McDaniel scored on an error to make the score 2-0.
Lainey McDaniel. Photo/Jeremy Clark
In the second inning, Ava Gibbs brought Madison Reichert home with a sacrifice fly to make the score 3-0.
In the top of the third, Reeths-Puffer broke the game open, scoring five runs to take an 8-0 lead. Reichert had a two RBI double, Makayla Jewett added a one-run double, then Herrygers and McDaniel added RBI singles.
Cedar Springs responded with three runs in the home half of the inning to make the score 8-3 after three innings of play.
In the fourth inning, Reichert continued her big day with a two-run single to make the score 10-3. Later in the inning, Gibbs had a RBI single before McDaniel cleared the bases with a three-run single, making the score 14-3.
Carlie Guikema. Photo/Jeremy Clark
The game was called after the fourth due to darkness.
Combined in both games, McDaniel went 6-for-6 at the plate to begin her season.
“I feel really good at the plate,” she said.. “I was happy with my performance. It felt good to start that way because I haven’t seen live pitching in a while.”
Reichert had two singles and a double in the nightcap while Herrygers and Kenzi Jacobs each had two singles.
Makayla Jewett (10). Photo/Jeremy Clark
Jewett, a freshman, picked up the win on the mound in Game 2, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out one.
The Rockets will return to action on Thursday when they travel to Zeeland West for a makeup doubleheader of games originally scheduled for March 20.
Coach Bayle believes that, while the season has just started, she has the right type of players to put together another good season.
“We just have a good group of girls who love softball,” she said. “They want to have fun and they’re going to do whatever it takes to pick each other up. I think that’s really important and it will benefit us.”
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