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NORTH ADAMS -- It only took one inning for the Drury softball team to surge ahead and pick up a 15-0 win over Mount Greylock on Wednesday afternoon.
The Blue Devils (10-3) used a 12-run fourth inning to take all the momentum -- and the game -- from the Mounties.
Jenna Gazaille started the inning with a single to straight-away center, and moved to third after a walk and a sacrifice bunt. Another walk to Angela Ames loaded the bases, and Gazaille crossed the plate after Kelsey Malloy worked another free pass. With the bases still loaded, Jayda Westcott ripped an RBI single to right, and Hadley Ameen laced a bases-clearing single to left. After an error on the play, Ameen was standing on third and Drury had jumped out to a 5-0 lead. Looking to continue the hit parade, Megan Boyer notched her second single of the day, scoring Ameen. After a hit batter put two runners on, Gazaille picked up her second hit of the inning, loading the bases once again. Stephanie Mirante bunted, and when it was misplayed, Boyer came around to score and kept the inning going for the Devils.
"It was a good game until the fourth inning," Greylock
With Drury leading 7-0 and the bases still loaded, Kait Moresi and Ames drew back-to-back walks, bringing in two more runs and forcing Greylock starter Lindsay Maynard out of the game. Another walk to Westcott brought in one more run, before Ameen capped the inning with a two-RBI single to right. When all the dust had settled, Drury was sitting pretty with a 12-0 lead.
"This is totally unexpected," Drury head coach Mary Ann Maroni said. "I told the girls at the bottom of the fourth that this was our inning, and they responded. They were much more patient at the plate, and were able to get some hits."
Once again Drury received an excellent outing on the mound from Ameen, who gave up just one hit in the top of the fifth.
"Hadley did a great job today," Maroni said. "She got two hits, which is great because she has been struggling a little bit at the plate. I don't think anybody notices that she is struggling because she does such an exceptional job pitching."
Another bright spot for the Devils was the strong play of Boyer at first base. The senior, who has made an impressive comeback from offseason knee surgery, finished the day 2 for 3 with an RBI and also snagged a hard grounder at first in the fourth.
"At the beginning of the season, all I could do was hit," she said. "So I've been practicing that a lot.
"I think that stop (at first) was more just instincts and reaction. I saw it coming and put my glove down and the ball ended up being right there.
Maroni was happy to see Boyer finally get a chance to show what she could do.
"Megan has been so patient and working so hard to get back," she said. "It was nice to see her do well today."
As for the rest of the game, Greylock only put three runners on. In the first, Lindsay Maynard reached on an error and Kim Houston worked a walk. Katie Benoit was the third and final baserunner for the Mounties, reaching on a single in the fifth.
Drury put one runner on in the first three innings, before breaking out in the fourth. The Devils sealed the deal in the fifth with three more runs.
Casey Scott led off the inning with a single, and scored on and RBI double off the bat of Gazaille. Another walk and a single loaded the bases for Ames, whose sacrifice fly to right scored Gazaille. Kelsey Malloy's RBI single capped the scoring as Mirante crossed the plate.
"We've been hearing that Greylock was the team to beat," Gazaille said. "We wanted to change that. We want to be the team to beat."
Ameen picked up her third shutout of the season, working five innings. She gave up one hit, while striking out four and walking one. Maynard took the loss, going 3 1/3. She allowed 12 runs on nine hits, while walking five and striking out two.
Gazaille paced the Blue Devils' offense, going 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Ameen went 2 for 3 with five RBI and a run scored. Kelsey Malloy finished the day 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored.
Benoit was 1 for 2 on the day.
Drury is back in action tonight when it takes on Hoosac at 7 p.m. Greylock will travel to Pittsfield to battle the Generals on Friday afternoon at 4:15.
