Redhawk senior Gabby Velasco rounds the bases in Green Mountain last Friday while sporting a huge grin after blasting a home run over GMG’s left field fence in the top of the seventh inning, adding the final point of the evening to the scoreboard. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

GREEN MOUNTAIN – It was a great night of softball last Friday evening in Green Mountain as the GMG Wolverines (8-7) hosted conference rival North Tama (3-10). And while GMG ruled the mound after six-and-a-half innings to more than earn the 10-5 win, superb moments from both teams, including a pair of homers by Wolverine eighth-grader Addison Elmore and one by Redhawk senior Gabby Velasco, dominated the story.

The game opened with a hard line drive to left field by North Tama senior Faith Dvorak; she made it home a few plays later on a single by clean-up hitter Addy Hochstetler. GMG freshman ace Riah Boege – No. 5 in the state across all classes for strikeouts with 157 as of this past Tuesday morning – struck out two batters while Elmore caught a pop fly in deep left field for the third out.

In the bottom of the first, Elmore crushed a home run – the first of her high school career – over the left field fence, managing an RBI in the process, to put the score at 2-1 before Redhawk junior pitcher Hochstetler ended the inning with a strikeout.

After a quick top of the second, GMG picked up the bats again, capitalizing on several North Tama errors to steal bases, including home plate. The second inning ended with GMG up 5-1.

In the top of the third, Dvorak popped one deep into center field, but it was caught by freshman Taelyn Sash. The Wolverines retook the field with the score still 5-1, adding another run before ending the third inning up 6-1.

The North Tama softball team waits with anticipation at home plate in Green Mountain for their teammate Gabby Velasco after she hit a home run against the GMG Wolverines on Friday, June 20. PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

In the fourth, Hochstetler managed a single on an infield fly that GMG failed to catch; she then stole second and third before eventually making it home on a single by sophomore Violet Seda; the score was 6-2 as GMG took over batting. Sash made it to first on a bunt that sat right down in front of home plate, after which she quickly stole second. ‘Big Dog’ Elmore then cracked another homer into far left field – hitting a chicken coop roof in a neighboring farm yard in the process – sending Sash home. The fourth inning ended with GMG retaining the lead 8-2.

Top of the fifth, Dvorak again got on base with a single before she was tagged out at third trying to steal. With two outs, Hochstetler was in the box. She kept the bat swinging, hitting foul after foul before solidly connecting, sending a powerful line drive to center field for a double and an RBI. Violet Seda then hit a double herself, sending Hochstetler home before Boege struck out the final batter.

GMG entered the bottom of the fifth ahead, 8-4. With two outs, North Tama intentionally walked Elmore, leading the Wolverine dugout to explode with cheers over their Big Dog’s status. Boege then pulverized a line drive to center field, enabling two runners to make it home. GMG held the lead 10-4.

The sixth inning was the fastest yet with GMG going 1-2-3, and North Tama in turn preventing the Wolverines from doing much at the plate.

In the seventh, Boege threw her first – and only – wild pitch all evening, but quickly recovered by catching a blistering line drive by Dvorak heading right for her chest, marking the first out and leading one fan to comment, “That girl is a machine.”

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

Not to be outdone, North Tama senior Gabby Velasco stepped up to the plate and blasted a dinger into far left field, notching her first home run this season and adding the final point to the scoreboard. Boege got the final out to earn the 10-5 win for the Wolverines with 11 strikeouts and two walks.

Elmore went 2-for-4 with two home runs, two runs, and four RBIs to lead GMG offensively. Freshman Madison Bryant had two doubles and one run; eighth-grader Grace Mathern managed one double and two runs; eighth-grader Natalie Upah notched a trio of singles and three runs; Rhianna Murty had two singles and a run; and Boege cracked a pair of singles while sending two batters home.

Statistics were not available for North Tama in time for publication.

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER

PHOTO BY RUBY F. MCALLISTER