MTZ softball now 9-0, Blakey makes history

The Mt. Zion softball team losing with Head Coach Greg Blakey in the center after his win that moved him into fifth place on the IHSA Sotball All-Time Wins List.

Seniors Lily Sommers, Jodie Shafer and Audri Johnson with their parents ahead of Mt. Zion softball’s senior night last week.

By BLAKE FAITH
Staff Writer

Mt. Zion softball is undefeated and Head Coach Greg Blakey becomes the fifth all-time winning coach in IHSA history as the Braves went 4-0 last week.

Against Windsor, the Braves struck first with two outs and down to her last strike, Chloe Williams hit an RBI double to the right-field gap that brought in Audri Johnson to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.

Ella Fink then threw four straight about innings allowing no hits through those four innings, throwing four strikeouts as well. In the bottom of the third inning, the Braves scored two runs. Addi Rotz got the Braves going with a walk. With one out and down to her last strike on s again, Williams hit a RBI triple that brought home Rotz. Karlie Tell brought her in with a sac fly to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.

The Batches struck in the top of the fifth. Two E7’s by the Braves provided two runs for the Hatchets to narrow the lead to 3-2 to end the top of the fifth.

Rotz got the Braves flying in the bottom of the fifth, hitting a single and then stealing second. Williams was hit by a pitch. Teel and Fink reached on infield hits and Joelie Shafer hit a two RBI double that helped give the Braves a 7-2 lead at the end of the fifth. The Braves ended up winning 11-4.

“Defensively we weren’t very sharp,” Hear coach Greg Blakey said. “We were not sharp in warmups. And again, I’m not using any excuses, but left field was a terrible mess with the wind and we didn’t execute defensively. The big thing is defense. We’ve got to be a good defensive team at some point, just because of how young we are. The good thing is offensively we did a good job again tonight. We scored 11 runs.”

With the wins against WillIamsville and MacArthur. Coach Blakey moved into fifth all-time in IHSA Softball Wins.

“The thing is, this is not about me. We’ve got to keep focused on us getting better and just building on us getting better. Not about me.”

The Braves improved to 9-0 overall and 2-0 in Apollo Conference play. The Braves will face Monticello, Athens and Taylorville this week.