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WHEELING -- Winning with small-ball and avoiding the big hit paid dividends for the Wheeling Park Patriots on Monday, locking down a 13-5 victory against the Brooke Bruins to bounce back into the win column.
Park's Delaney Randolph and Bryn Ernest each had big days at the plate, Randolph plating three via two doubles and Ernest plating four, but it was Park's defense in clutch moments that kept a distance between the two teams on the scoreboard.
"Defensively we held them a couple innings," Wheeling Park head coach Patrick Durkin said. "They got the bases loaded multiple times, but I think we only gave up one run in those situations. We had a hard time finding the strike zone to start, but once Delaney settled down, started throwing strikes and making them put the ball in-play, we made some nice defensive plays across the board. We played solid."
Randolph pitched the full six innings, striking out eight batters while issuing six walks to pick up a win.
Alexa Foresha pitched the entire game for Brooke, striking out four.
Eight Park players recorded hits Monday, with Katelyn Kozlowski, Faith Randolph, Delaney Randolph, Ernest and Haley Doyle picking up multiple.
The Patriots racked up the baserunners with the help of the bunt.
"At the plate, we bunted a lot today," Durkin said. "It just seemed like our girls were putting bunts down and beating them out, so we just kept going to that. It put a lot of pressure on their defense."
Emilee McKinney pulled the Bruins offense forward Monday with a three-hit, four-RBI day which included a triple. Maddie Brown knocked in the fifth Brooke run.