Polytech no-hits Delmarva Christian softball
Delmarva Christian softball is enduring its longest losing streak of the year after being no-hit by Polytech’s Mara Everton in a 4-0 home loss April 29. Royals head coach Rachel Fetterman said she believes the girls are struggling with the mental aspect of the game.
“The skill is there; we’ll pitch to them in practice and they’ll hit against pitching machines,” Fetterman said. “We set them for rise, drop, outside, inside and 60 mph – they’re on it.”
Battling against Everton proved to be no small task for Delmarva Christian. After allowing a lead-off walk to Royals senior Maggie Kwiatkowski in the first, Everton didn't allow a baserunner until senior Lily Hutt reached on a dropped third strike to begin the bottom of the fourth. Lydia Woods reached on an error in the bottom of the fifth. Those were the only three times Delmarva Christian had traffic on the basepaths, and neither player reached third base before the inning’s final out. Everton struck out 15, tossing 62 of her 82 pitches for strikes in the completed no-hit, shutout game.
The Panthers scored all four of their runs during a two-out rally in the top of the third. Hutt walked Kylie VanHorn with one out, and the Polytech sophomore advanced from first to third on Cheyenne Silves’ sacrifice dribbler. After freshman Addison Sapp walked, she raced to second base, catching the Royals off guard. A passed ball during senior Kyla Davis’ at-bat plated VanHorn before another passed ball during Julie MacConnell’s at-bat scored Sapp, who had advanced to third on the first passed ball. MacConnell’s line drive to center drove in Davis and Kha’Lyn Tilghman – who walked in the prior at-bat – to round out the scoring and give Polytech a 4-0 lead they rode to the end.
“The pressure that one person can make themselves feel can make or break you,” Fetterman said. “Hutt is one of those players that is going to give you 110% every single play, to a default sometimes.”
Hutt moved to third base and was relieved in the circle by Kylie McCabe in the top of the fourth. The sophomore effectively shut down the Panthers offense, allowing just one hit and giving up one walk through four innings. The Royals surrendered just two hits all game.
Fetterman wants her team to have a short memory regarding the loss.
“You’ve got to come out, put your best foot forward, let it go, flush it and move on,” Fetterman said.
Falling to 4-6 following the three-game skid, the Royals will have a chance to move back to .500 before the week ends as they travel to North Dorchester, Friday, May 3, and welcome Smyrna at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 4.
“We’ve got to dig deeper, because there’s a lot of season left,” Fetterman said.
