Grant’s grand slam helps Hilltopper softballers to defeat SV Red Birds
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THE HILLTOPPERS Avery Rubenzer made this catch in left field during an April 11 home softball game against Spring Valley. The Hilltoppers won the high-scoring contest 15-13. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
GLENWOOD CITY — With the bases loaded, senior Sydney Grant smashed a second-inning grand slam home run to break an early 2-2 deadlock and put her Glenwood City Hilltopper softball team in front of the visiting Cardinals of Spring Valley here last Thursday, April 11.
Unfortunately, Glenwood City could not hold that advantage. Spring Valley plated nine runs in the top of the fifth inning to go ahead 12-8.
But, the resilient Hilltoppers never surrendered. They chipped away at the deficit taking back three runs in their half of the fifth to trail by just a single run.
And when the Cardinals added another run in the sixth, the Toppers responded with four scores in the bottom half to take a 15-13 lead into the seventh and final inning.
Despite some tense final moments that included a pair of errors and a walk, Glenwood City was able to close out the game without surrendering another run to claim the 2-run victory.
Spring Valley pushed a pair of runs across home plate in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the second, Glenwood City broke through for six runs.
Jenna McCarthy opened the inning with a hit, Izzy Davis walked and Avery Rubenzer singled to load the bases. Emma Bliese followed with a hit that brought McCarthy home with the Toppers’ first score. With the bases still full, Grant stepped to the plate and belted a shot that cleared the fence and emptied the bases to give Glenwood City a 5-2 lead. Before the inning was over, Madison Caress added a run when she singled and scored on a Brooklynn Brite single.
GRAND SLAM — Glenwood City senior Sydney Grant is shown hitting a grand slam home run in the second inning of the Hilltoppers April 11 home game vesus Spring Valley. Glenwood City won 15-13. —photo by Jacob Maes Photography
Spring Valley got a run back in the fourth and then went ahead with nine runs in the fifth off four hits and four walks.
Singles by Brite and Kiley Leduc in the fourth resulted in a pair of GC scores.
After Spring Valley added a run in the top of the fifth, Glenwood City took three back in the bottom half highlighted by a Caress double and a Bliese single.
The Cardinals upped their lead to 13-11 with another run in the sixth.
Back-to-back singles in the bottom of the frame off the bats of McCarthy and Davis eventually lead to four Toppers runs and victory.
Brite and Caress lead the Glenwood City offense with three hits and pair of RBIs, Rubenzer finished with a double and a single while McCarthy and Davis each tallied two singles. Grant finished with that one impressive hit as she tallied six RBIs.
Glenwood City headed into this week with a 2-1 record. The Toppers were slated to play in Boyceville on Monday, host Elk Mound Tuesday, travel to Colfax Thursday and return home to host Amery Friday. Elmwood-Plum City will visit next Monday, April 22.