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Varsity Softball Downs King 8-5
On Monday, May 5, the Storm defeated the King Vikings 8-5.
The St. Luke’s varsity softball team improved their record to 4-2 on Monday with an important win over league rival King.
King looked unstoppable in the first inning, scoring 3 runs and recording no outs against starting pitcher Ali Ferris ’18. Riley Page ’19 took the mound in relief with the bases loaded and recorded three consecutive outs, two of which were strikeouts, to keep the score at 3-0. The Storm quickly fired back with an impressive offensive push of their own. Ali Ferris - who was double switched to shortstop - led off the inning with a single, and catcher Noelle Ruschil ’18 moved Ferris to third base on a hard hit single of her own. After clean-up hitter Courteney Newman recorded an out, Riley Page cracked a ball over the head of the Vikings’ center fielder for a triple that scored Ferris and Ruschil.
In the top of the second inning, Page continued to dominate on the mound. She recorded three more consecutive outs to keep the score close at 3-2. In the bottom of the second, the deep Storm lineup continued to threaten offensively. A line drive single from Kendall Boege ’19, an Ali Trager ‘16 walk, and a superb bunt single from Madison Sead ’19, loaded the bases with none out. After a fielder’s choice, catcher Noelle Ruschil ‘18 knocked the ball to left center field for a double that scored two runners, and gave the Storm a 4-3 lead at the top of the 3rd inning.
The third inning was scoreless, as quality pitching from both the Storm and the Vikings managed to quell any potential offense. King tied the game at 4-4 with some fantastic small-ball. However, the tie was short lived as the Storm rallied for three runs in the bottom of the inning. Three RBI singles from Courteney Newman, Kristen Beaumont ’18, and Kendall Boege, gave the Storm a 7-4 lead.
After the first two King batters reached base on infield errors in the 5th, Page once again showed great poise on the mound. A pop up, strike out, and ground out, stranded the King runners on 2nd and 3rd and kept the Storm’s lead at 7-4.
In the bottom of the 5th, Courteney Newman once again proved her offensive prowess with a scorcher of a double that scored Ruschil who reached base on a fielders choice. With an 8-4 lead, and dominance from the mound, the Storm seemed destined for an easy win.
A 1-2-3 inning (two of which were strikeouts) from Page, and a shutdown inning from the King pitcher, kept the score at 8-4 in the top of the 7th.
The Vikings threatened a comeback in the top of the 7th. The King players were finally able to find some traction against Page, and managed to score a run to bring the score to 8-5 With two runners on base and two outs, the Storm bench was tense. However, Page once again managed to get herself out of trouble and ended the game with a groundout to short.
The Storm’s 8-5 league victory over King puts them in a good place in their quest to win their second straight FAA title. The St. Luke’s varsity softball team will take the mound against another league rival, Hopkins, on Friday, May 6th.
St. Luke’s School is a secular (non-religious), private school in New Canaan, CT for grades 5 through 12 serving over 40 towns in Connecticut and New York. Our exceptional academics and diverse co-educational community foster students’ intellectual and ethical development and prepare them for top colleges. St. Luke’s Leading with Humanity curriculum builds the commitment to serve and the confidence to lead.
