Glenelg softball’s collective offensive approach this year focuses on making contact, as opposed to years past where some Gladiators tended to swing for the fences.
The simplified approach has yielded great results to start the season. The Gladiators have scored at least 12 runs in four of their five games, the latest a 13-3 victory over Centennial on Monday.
“It’s been awesome,” Glenelg coach Anna Pallozzi said. “Last year we had a great record — it was a season to remember for sure — but I think what we’ve been able to say so far this year speaks to that. We’ve gone out there and we’re putting up 10 plus runs against pretty much everybody so far. That speaks to making contact and becoming a baserunner because we can’t score if we don’t have baserunners.”
The Gladiators (5-0, 4-0 Howard County) found themselves in an early two-run hole but used that contact-oriented approach to jump back in front.
Rylie Thomas, Madison Stouffer and Kaylee Brogan laced three consecutive singles, keying Glenelg’s three-run bottom of the first. The Gladiators also showcased their team speed to move runners into scoring position with three of their five stolen bases coming in the opening frame.
Glenelg added to its advantage in the second on Jamie Shaw’s double. It tacked on two more runs in the third, highlighted by Stouffer’s triple, her second of a team-high three hits on the afternoon.
“I was just trying to swing and be consistent at that point,” Stouffer said. “That’s what we’ve really worked on this year. We’re no longer swinging for the fences and getting out. We’re all trying to be consistent and that’s made a big improvement with all of our hitting so far.”
After allowing two runs in the first, Brogan settled down in the circle. She threw three consecutive scoreless innings, escaping a two-on, one-out jam in the fourth. The Eagles had their opportunities with runners on base in the middle innings but struggled to convert.
“Just building on each game,” Centennial coach Eddie Fowler said. “There was a lot of mental errors out there. Never mind a couple of errors where they should really know what they’re doing at this point in the game, also leaving a lot of runners on base. The score didn’t dictate how well we performed and we just build on it each game.”
Centennial (3-1) chipped into the lead in the fifth. Madaline Reese ripped her second double of the game and later came around to score on an error.
However, the game got away from the Eagles in the sixth. Glenelg’s offense erupted for seven runs with a mix of timely hitting and Eagles errors. Reese Holden, Stouffer, Shaw and Bella Wisniewski drove in runs.
“When you’re up to bat, it takes a lot of pressure off when you know the person behind you is going to pick you up and the person behind that person is going to pick them up,” Shaw said. “So, I think having that team connection is really important at the plate because we know that everyone around else will pick us up when we don’t do as well as we want to keeping things positive and keeping things going.”
Centennial — 200 010 — 3 8 3
Glenelg — 312 007 — 13 11 1
WP: Kaylee Brogan. LP: Nicole Cavey.
2B: C – Madaline Reese (2); G — Jamie Shaw, Reese Holden. 3B: G — Madison Stouffer