Smith’s big day leads Big Red past Wheeling Central
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STEUBENVILLE -- Leadoff hitters are expected to set the table for the rest of the lineup, however, Big Red standout Sena Smith did much more than that against Wheeling Central.
Smith is a multi-tool player, and her full arsenal was on display as she went 4-for-4 at the plate, and she pitched the first three innings leading the Big Red softball team to a 13-5 victory against the Maroon Knights on a chilly Friday evening at the Crimson Complex.
At the plate, Smith collected two singles, a triple and an inside-the-park home run. Smith collected three RBI on the day, she scored three runs and stole one base. In the circle, Smith struck out five and walked two in earning a no decision. Defensively, she made a putout on a ball hit to center.
"She did much more than that," Big Red (4-1) head coach Gus DiMarzio said about Smith's role as a table setter in the lineup. "There was a disconnect between me and her, and we had a discussion. The job of a lead off batter is to get on base, and she did exactly that today.
"All of the years you have watched baseball, you know the good lead off batters, they get on base, the steal and they score runs. That's what we want her to do, and she did that and more. That's what we want every day.
"Let's be honest, she is a Division 1 recruit. Every day, people are going to come and see your Division 1 recruit in centerfield. She is going to have to play like a Division 1 recruit in centerfield, and she did exactly that."
Big Red erupted for 12 runs in the first three innings against Wheeling Central.
The Red and Black led 8-0 going into the top of the third before the visitors from Ohio County tallied five runs to make it a three-run ballgame. The hosts, however, responded with four more runs in the home half of the inning to gain some breathing room at 12-5.
The girls from Jefferson County collected another run in the fourth to rebuild their eight-run advantage.
The victors plated eight runs on nine hits through the first two innings.
Trailing 8-0, the visitors recorded five runs in the third to battle their way back into the game, however, the girls in the maroon jerseys did not score another run in the game.
Sadie Edwards, who started the game in centerfield, came on in relief of Smith to start the fourth, and Edwards recorded the win. She pitched the final four innings, recording four strikeouts without walking a batter.
"Sena pitched well at the beginning," DiMarzio said. "In the middle, she might have gotten a little tired. It is cold out, and that is not a good combination.
"Sadie came in and did a good job. She pitched really well. Sadie is a good player. She had an unfortunate injury last year. As the year goes on, she is going to get better and better. She had major ACL surgery."
The Maroon Knights (4-1) also used two pitchers in the game.
Josie Frizzell started the game, and she took the loss. Frizzell pitched the first two innings. She did not record a strikeout while walking one. Olivia Kiaski, who started the game at DH, relieved Frizzell to start the third. She went the rest of the way. Kiaski struck out one and walked three.
Smith struck out two in the first as she retired the Maroon Knights in order to start the game, and she got things rolling offensively in the bottom half of the inning.
Smith ripped a shot down the line in left field, and she came all the way around to score giving Big Red an early 1-0 advantage.
With one out, Edwards delivered the first of her two doubles on the day, and she scored on a single by catcher Sagan Smarella to give the home team a 2-0 lead. Smarella would end up scoring on a groundout back to Frizzell to give Big Red a 3-0 advantage.
Big Red extended its advantage in the second.
Gia Bowman walked with one out, and she scored on a triple by Smith to make the score 4-0, and Smith scored on a wild pitch to increase her team's advantage to 5-0. Sophia Zorne followed with a single, and Edwards doubled to put two runners on base. Smarella followed with a single down the third-base line scoring Zorne, and Edwards scored when the ball was misplayed. Emily Tuttle then singled to score Smarella giving Big Red an 8-0 lead.
The Maroon Knights battled their way back into the game in the third.
Bella Rine recorded a triple to center to start the inning off, and she scored on a single by Trina Baker to make the score, 8-1. Also in the inning, Frizzell brought home a run with a groundout to Smith, Erin Maxwell singled home a run and Jensen Rine recorded a two-run triple before Smith retired the next two batters -- the first on a groundout back to her and the second on a strikeout -- to end the threat and the inning.
Wheeling Central had some momentum, but it did not last long.
Addie Meyer led off the bottom of the inning by getting hit by a pitch, and she moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt. Smith singled and stole second to put two runners in scoring position, and Zorne singled home both runners to make the score, 10-5. Edwards then drew a walk, and stole a base before Smarella doubled to score a pair making it 12-5.
Smith singled home a run in the fourth to complete the scoring.
"We came out at the start, and we were really ready to play," DiMarzio said. "We were playing a good team, and that is a good team over there. They are well coached, and they have good players up and down their lineup.
"We were ready to play. We wanted to play. We haven't played the last three days. You want to play when you are playing a good opponent because you want that competition.
"At the beginning of the game, we were ready to go. We came out, and we played hard. That lull, we hit the ball right at them. I know we did not strikeout much. We have put the ball in play two games in a row. We hit some shots, but we hit them right at them."
Meyer singled to start the second for Big Red.
Maddie Miehle singled and scored in the third for the Maroon Knights.
Both teams were scheduled to play games Saturday at home.
Big Red is slated to host a tri starting at 10 a.m. Big Red will play Conotton Valley in the first game, Brooke will play Conotton Valley at noon before the Bruins take on Big Red at 2 p.m. in the final game of the tri.
Wheeling Central is set to play Williamstown in a doubleheader. The first game is scheduled to start at 11 a.m.
Big Red 13, Wheeling Central 5
Wheeling Central 005 000 0 – 5 7 2
Big Red 354 100 X – 13 13 2
WHEELING CENTRAL (4-1): Frizzell LP (2IP, 0K, 1BB), Kiaski (4IP, 1K, 3BB) and Hanson. B. Rine T, Baker 2S, RBI; Miehle S; Frizzell S, RBI; Maxwell S, RBI; J. Rine T, 2RBI
BIG RED (4-1): Smith ND (3IP, 5K, 2BB), Edwards WP (4IP, 4K, 0BB) and Smarella. Smith 2S, T, HR, 3RBI; Zorne 2S, 2RBI; Edwards 2D; 2S, D, 4RBI; Tuttle S, 2RBI; Meyer S