Northern Tier Sports ReportCANTON — Canton softball split a double-header with Williamson during NTL action Monday. They won the first game 7-3, but then fell 11-1 in six innings during the second contest.
“I’m elated,” Canton coach Kareem Ragab said about the victory over district bound Williamson. “It’s been a long time coming. These girls have worked hard, they’ve been in a lot of games, and it’s pretty rewarding.”
Williamson led 2-0 to start the game, with Canton getting on the board with a run in the bottom of the third.
A 4-run fourth saw them take control, up 5-2. That was followed by a 2-run fifth for a 7-2 contest.
Williamson got a run in the sixth for the 7-3 final.
Jaylee Ward (4-for-4) had two doubles, 2-RBI, and two runs scored to lead Canton as Raya Preston (2-for-4) drove in two runs.
Cyan Hugo (2-for-4) scored as Lucy Proseus (1-for-3) scored twice. Lindley Sechrist (1-for-3) scored, and drove in a run as Tiffany Acla crossed home.
Trinity Acla drove in a run.
Preston struck out eight in the win, allowing no walks, six hits, and three runs, one of which was earned.
Ward doubled in the third, then scored on a 2-out Preston single to make it 2-1.
Proseus led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, then scored on an error off the bat of Sechrist to knot the game up.
Acla would walk, followed by Ward singling in Sechrist as Canton took the lead.
An Acla ground out scored her sister for a 4-2 ball game, with Preston singling in Ward to make it 5-2.
Hugo opened up the fifth with a hit, followed by Proseus reaching on an error.
After a sacrifice bunt moved them up a base Sechrist singled in Hugo. A 2-out hit from Ward two batters later would drive in Proseus for a 7-2 lead.
The second game didn’t go as well with Williamson going up 1-0 in the first, then pushing four more runs across in the second.
They added three more runs in the fourth for an 8-0 lead, then scored one in the fifth to make it 9-0.
Canton got on the scoreboard with a run in the top of the sixth, but a 2-run bottom half from Williamson ended the game.
Sechrist (1-for-2) had a double and scored the team’s run as Ward (1-for-3) had an RBI. Acla (1-for-2) and Nevaeh Vroman (1-for-3) each had a hit.
Preston started, going just one inning with two strikeouts, one walk, five hits, and five runs, three of which were earned.
Ward tossed four innings with five strikeouts, one walk, four hits, and four runs, three of which were earned.
Skylar Gowin pitched two-thirds of an inning with one walk, two hits, and two runs scored, one of which was earned.
Sechrist led off the sixth with a double, then scored on a Ward hit for Canton’s lone run.
Canton (6-9) will host Wyalusing on Tuesday.
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