Eagles softball garners national attention, crush Chrisman 17-0

by Michael Smith
 
The Grain Valley softball team is starting to get some national recognition.

The Eagles are ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps.com National High School Softball rankings and they are No. 9 on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll.

It’s been a special season for head coach Flip Courter and his girls as they have run roughshod over their competition.

They did so again in Thursday’s Suburban White Conference matchup against William Chrisman as Grain Valley’s offense exploded in a 17-0 mercy-rule victory in three innings over the Bears on the road. The win clinched an outright conference title for the Eagles as they improved to 29-1 on the season.

“It’s really cool,” Courter said. “People are going to tell you rankings don’t really matter. It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish. We have done something that has never been done before (at Grain Valley), to be nationally ranked.”

Grain Valley only scored four runs of William Chrisman starting pitcher Aunalea Rakestraw in the Eagles’ 4-0 win on Sept. 17. This time, the Eagles played with more energy and intensity, which resulted in a much better offensive output.

We hit the ball a lot better today,” Courter said. “Last time we played them, of the 18 outs they recorded, 15 of them were in the air. We came in today with a bigger intention on hitting the ball hard on line drives and on the ground. We stayed up the middle.”

Added junior Addy Wright: “I think it was our energy. We didn’t come out with the same energy last game.

That energy was apparent in the first inning as the Eagles scored 10 runs. The big hit in the inning game when junior Sydnee Wagner hit a bases-clearing double on a line drive to center field.

A six-run second inning was highlighted by a towering solo home run from Grain Valley junior catcher Olivia Slaughter as she deposited the ball over the left-field fence. It was her seventh of the year and it was her third consecutive game with a homer.

“She’s starting to heat up which is good this time of year,” Courter said of Slaughter. “She kind of went through this last year where she got off to a shaky start and then caught fire toward the middle part of the season until the end. She’s doing that now, too. That is something we expect out of her.”

Added Slaughter: “I am not going up there trying to hit a home run. I am swinging hard, but when it happens it’s nice. I will take that forever.”

Senior Sal Haley also had a two-run double which she drilled over the head of Chrisman center fielder Brianna Wyenandt.

In the third, when Courter subbed in the majority of his reserves, freshman Mackenzie Rust capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly for a run.

Multiple Eagles had big days at the dish. Sophomore Madison Rust was 2-for-2 with three runs scored; Wright was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs; junior Sydnee Wagner was 2-for-2 with runs and three RBIs; Haley went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBIs; and Slaughter was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.

​In the circle, junior Sidney Hemme tossed a one-hitter and didn’t allow a walk and struck out seven.

Grain Valley junior Olivia Slaughter, left and Addy Wright were named players of the game by head coach Flip Courter after a 17-0 mercy-rule win over William Chrisman Thursday on the road. The win clinched an outright Suburban White Conference title for the Eagles. Photo credit: Michael Smith