On Tuesday, during a crisp afternoon the Lady Bucs kicked off their softball season over the visiting Riders 8-2. Don’t let the score fool you, this game was very close for most of the game as Milford clung to a 1-0 lead that it would obtain in the third inning. That run would come via the legs of Buc senior Adrionna Fountain reaching first base on a Rider error, she would proceed to steal second and third on the next two pitches. One thing for sure, Milford is fast and aggressive on the base path.
“We really want to exploit the strength we have in our running game. We tried to reach base earlier with some small ball, but it just wasn’t happening. It is something that we are going to have to work on.” Coach Kevin Barkley said.
With Milford senior Briella Salisbury and Woodbridge junior Makayla Ressner, pitching solidly, there was not much of an indication that an offensive explosion was on the horizon. In the top of the fifth however, Woodbridge would score two with the aid of a Milford miscue. Salisbury was able to minimize the damage as she pitched her way out of trouble.
“We all do our best and we needed to get out of that inning. We had some players make some really big plays throughout the game, so it was just my time to step up.” Salisbury said.
When asked how she did that, the answer was simple.
“Things are going to happen during a game that you can’t control. You just have to clear your head and worry about the next batter you are facing.”
After going scoreless in the bottom of the fifth, Milford would finally get the offense going in the bottom of the sixth. The Bucs would bat around in the frame, blowing the game open with key hitting and aggressive base running. By the time the dust had settled, Milford found themselves up by six runs as they entered the final inning. Salisbury would take down the Riders 1-2-3 for the victory.
With the first game of the season in the books, we asked Barkley what his outlook for the rest of the year was.
“There are some very good softball teams throughout Delaware, so it’s going to be a challenge every game,” Barkley said. “We have six seniors on this team, a junior, a freshman at catcher and a second baseman that is still in eighth grade. So, we want to compete and keep an eye towards the future of this program while trying to win games at the same time. I’m very excited to see how everything plays out. But most of all, I am looking forward to seeing us play better and better as the season goes on.”
