WINTERSVILLE — The Madonna softball team showed why it remains among the ranks of the unbeaten.

Madonna played a solid all-around game against Indian Creek. The Blue Dons took the early lead before pulling away en route to 9-0 on an overcast Monday evening on the road.

“Our fielding was solid,” Madonna (8-0) head coach Jason Backel said. “We put the ball in play. Our pitcher was excellent. Peyton pitched a great game. We did all the little things. We made all the little plays. Our baserunning was good.

“Anytime we beat a bigger school like that, it is a confidence builder. We have a big game tomorrow. We play Trinity Christian. They beat us in the sectional finals last year. The last two years, we have lost five games. We lost to Oak Glen, and they won a state championship last year. We lost to Weir, and they were in the final four in the state in Class AAA last year. We lost to Conotton Valley, and they were a regional finalist. Then, there is Trinity Christian. We play them tomorrow, and I am not going to have to say much to them tomorrow.”

The visitors struck for a run in the top of the first inning to take the lead before scoring eight more runs in the third through fifth innings to take control.

Madonna is the latest tough team Indian Creek has played already this season.

“If you look at our schedule, we are always playing a tough team,” Indian Creek (2-6) first-year head coach Amber Scott said. “We play a tough schedule. Madonna was the latest tough team.

“Our girls are keeping their heads up. Defensively, this may have been our best game. We are going to come together. I always say we have young pitchers this season, but our pitchers are stepping up. We were able to make contact, but we couldn’t get any key hits. We hit it right at people. This is a new week, and I think we are going to have a breakthrough.”

Peyton Conley went the distance to pick up the win for the visitors from Hancock County. Conley struck out nine and walked two.

The Redskins used two pitchers. Maggie Blackburn started, pitched the first five innings and ended up taking the loss. She struck out two and walked three. Gracie Hollenbeck came on in relief, and she pitched the final two innings. She did not record a strikeout or issue a walk during her time inside the circle.

The victors outhit the hosts, 10-3, and the Blue Dons delivered two extra-base hits — both of which were triples — in the win. Madonna received a lot of production from the top half of the order against Indian Creek.

“No doubt, but the middle of the order to the bottom of the order did well,” Backel said. “Brea Birkhimer crushed the ball three times, and she only found a gap once. She put the bat on the ball. The bottom of order did a good job. Kayleigh — our No. 8 hitter, hit that slow roller to the shortstop. That’s what she needed to do. She hit that slow roller, and we scored a run. She did what she was supposed to do.

“We tagged up on the one pop-up. That was a heads up play by Madi Owens.

“This place is a beautiful. It is a nice field.”

Individually for Madonna, Owens — the team’s No. 3 batter — ended up with a single and a triple, Kendal Ryan — the team’s cleanup batter — tallied two singles and two RBI and Conley — the team’s leadoff batter — collected two singles and an RBI. Also, Brea Birkimer — the No. 6 batter — belted an RBI triple, Geena Birkhimer — the No. 2 batter — added two singles and Rylee Birkhimer, who was batting in the No. 5 spot, chipped in with a base hit. Finally, Kayleigh Gamble produced an RBI.

Aaliyah Duke, Payton Rath and Riley Sadler all delivered a single for the Redskins.

The Blue Dons scored one run on three hits — all singles — in the first. Conley and Genna Birkhimer started the inning off with back-to-back singles before Ryan singled home Birkhimer on an one-out single to center.

Ryan ripped her second RBI single of the game in the third to bring home the first run of the inning. Then Owens, who walked, scored her team’s third run when she tagged up and scored on a pop-up hit in foul territory. Sadler — the Redskins’ catcher — caught the ball, however, no one was covering the plate, and Owens was able to sneak in before Sadler was able to tag her to increase Madonna’s advantage out to 3-0.

The Blue Dons broke the game open in the fourth as they scored four runs to extend their advantage to 7-0 before tacking on more runs in the fifth.

“The girls are playing well,” Backel said. “We have the meat of our schedule coming up. We play Trinity Christian, Wheeling Central and Linsly. We play Trinity Christian twice, we play Wheeling Central twice and we play Linsly twice. We also play Brooke. We are going to find out what type of team we are.”

Despite its big deficit, Indian Creek continued to battle as the Redskins recorded three singles in the sixth to break up Conley’s no-hit bid, however, the home team was unable to push a run across the plate.

“From Day 1, these girls have not had their heads down,” Scott said. “Their heads are up. Normally when you lose, your head goes down, but that has not been the case with these girls. These girls heads have stayed up. They continue to fight. They have not given up. They continue to fight. They are doing everything we ask. I always throw the seniors in there. They have really stepped up into that leadership role. They are keeping the girls in the game. We were down 8-0 and 9-0, and we did not give up. We came back at the plate. Sometimes, you just don’t get the calls or the key hits.”

Indian Creek is scheduled to play Carrollton at 5 p.m. today at home.

“Carrollton is good going back to when I played,” Scott said. “They are always tough. I think this game will prepare us for that game. We battle every game. All the pieces are going to come together. We are going to keep fighting.”

Madonna is slated to play Trinity Christian at 5:30 p.m. today at Starvaggi Park.

Madonna 9, Indian Creek 0

Madonna 102 420 0 – 9 10 1

Indian Creek 000 000 0 – 0 3 2

MADONNA (8-0): Conley WP (9K, 2BB) and Foresha. Conley 2S, RBI; G. Birkhimer 2S; Madi Owens S, T; Ryan 2S, 2RBI; R. Birkhimer S; B. Birkhimer T, RBI; Gamble RBI.

INDIAN CREEK (2-6): Blackburn LP (5IP, 2K, 3BB), G. Hollenbeck (2IP, 0K, 0BB) and Sadler. Duke S; Rath S; Sadler S.