Williamsburg’s attack is balanced and potent in softball sweep of Benton

WILLIAMSBURG — There’s not much substitute for experience.

Veteran leadership.

“A lot of us have been around for five years,” said Taylor Pitlick, one of six senior starters for the Williamsburg High School softball program.

And ...

“A lot of young kids would rather listen to a senior than a coach,” Makenna Hughes added.

Of course, there’s more than talk involved. There’s action.

The Class 3A top-ranked Raiders were relentless offensively and swept No. 6 Benton Community, 11-0 and 10-2, in a Wamac Conference softball doubleheader Wednesday night at Jim Turner Field.

Williamsburg (8-1 overall, 6-0 Wamac) erupted for eight runs in the third inning of the first game (which ended in four), then tallied seven times in the first inning of the second contest (and put that one away in six).

Offensive contributions, and quality plate appearances, came from everybody. Top to bottom, 1 through 9.

“That’s something we try to instill,” Coach Adam Berte said. “They do a good job with pitch selection. They don’t chase very often.

“In the first game, we hit a lot of line drives. That’s exactly what we want to do. If we do that, the home runs and the doubles will come.”

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The Raiders batted .469 (23 of 49) in the twinbill. Jersey Metz was 4-for-5 and drove in three runs. Hughes scored three times and stole four bases.

Pitlick was 3-for-5, scored four runs and started the scoring with a two-run double in the first inning of Game 1. That came one pitch after a failed bunt attempt.

“My job is to get runners around,” Pitlick said. “Missing a bunt, that’s going to happen; I had to pick it up some other way.”

Hughes chimed in: “Win another way.”

Kalon Spratt had a key two-run single in the third-inning barrage.

In Game 2, Ava Hocker — imagine the luxury of batting one of the area’s best athletes at No. 9 — capped the seven-run first with a three-run triple.

Metz limited the Bobcats (2-6, 1-5) to four hits in the opener; freshman Braylee Plotz spun a three-hitter in the nightcap.

Ana Glawe and Layna DeMoss rapped RBIs in Game 2 for Benton.

Williamsburg 11-10, Benton Community 0-2

At Williamsburg

GAME 1

Benton Community 000 0 — 0 4 1

Williamsburg 308 x — 11 13 0

Haiden Moore, Paige Meyer (3) and Ana Glawe. Jersey Metz and Lilly Ness. W — Metz (5-0). L — Moore (0-2).

GAME 2

Benton Community 002 000 — 2 3 2

Williamsburg 700 012 — 10 10 3

Brynlee Seeck, Haiden Moore (1), Ellie Williamson (5), Seeck (6) and Ana Glawe. Braylee Plotz and Lilly Ness. W — Plotz (2-0). L — Seeck (0-1).

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com