Warlassies buck Erwin in softball season opener

Offense and pitching fuel Owen’s 11-4 victory over Warriors

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
March 1, 2022

The Warlassies brought their bats, March 1, as they opened the 2022 softball season with an 11-4 victory at home over Erwin.

Owen needed only a few plate appearances to score its first run of the campaign, and the offense would add plenty more when the lineup batted around in the first inning. The support was more than junior pitcher Addison Bartlett, who kept Erwin hitters off-balance most of the night, would require.

Three Warlassies - seniors Bailee Worley and Chloe Little and sophomore Ryleigh Ogle - recorded two hits in the contest, while six different batters drove in runs. Owen plated 5 runs in the opening inning, maintaining that lead until Erwin scored 3 in the fifth.

The home team extended its lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but another 5-run offensive outburst in the sixth put the game well out of Erwin’s reach.

Bartlett struck out 11 Warrior batters on her way to pitching a complete game in her season debut. She allowed 3 earned runs and 7 hits while walking only one batter in 7 innings of work.

Owen will head to A.C. Reynolds, Tuesday, March 8, before returning home at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, March 10, to host North Henderson.

Photos of Owen’s opening night victory over Erwin can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.