PORT CLINTON – On a chilly day, it took a little time for the Ross softball team’s bats to get warmed up.
But when the Lady Giants finally caught fire, it took even longer for Port Clinton to put them out.
Ross blew open a tight game with a 6-run sixth inning and followed it up with five more in the top of the seventh to cruise to a 14-6 win over Port Clinton.
The Lady Giants opened the game with a lead-off double by Kayla Rich. She came home when No. 2 hitter Braelyn Horn drove her in with a base hit to right field.
Later in the inning sophomore Kaylee Dodson sent her first career varsity home run over the fence in left-center to put Ross ahead 2-0 after the top half of the first inning.
Dodson wasn’t finished. She laced a base hit to centerfield in the fifth to drive home Gabby Zuniga and increase the lead to 3-0. Dodson finished the day 4-for-4 at the plate with a walk and a pair of RBIs.
Morgan Englund and Rich hit back-to-back RBI-triples in the sixth inning followed by a home run by Zuniga, her second round-tripper in as many games, for a 7-1 lead.
Dodson followed with another base hit and scored on an RBI-double by Paige Risch. Risch later scored on an error to increase the lead to 9-1.
Port Clinton made a pitching change before the top of the seventh but it did nothing to stop the bleeding. Taking advantage of four walks in the inning and numerous wild pitches and passed balls, Ross added four more runs, including RBI base hits by Zuniga and Mekayla Logan.
Englund had a nice day, pitching all seven innings allowing just two walks and nine hits – five of which came in the bottom of the seventh, when Port Clinton scored five of their six runs.
For more details, visit the Ross Sports Report.