GPS’ softball team is having fun again, and that’s bad news for the rest of Division II heading into next week’s state tournament. The three-time defending champion Bruisers easily swept Father Ryan out of Friday’s D-II sectional by a combined 23-0. The first game ended 12-0 in five innings and the second game was an 11-0 no-hitter by Payton Leech.
“That’s the way this bunch is, it seems like this time of year they just get goofier and goofier,” Bruisers coach Susan Crownover said. “But they know when to get serious and so long as they take care of business on the field, they can make up cheers and laugh with each other as much as they want.”
Because GPS wrapped up the top seed for the D-II tournament, it had not played since May 8. But there didn’t seem to be any lingering rust from being inactive for so long.
Leech won both games, not allowing a hit in eight total innings of work. In the first game, struck out seven and also had two hits and four RBIs. Father Ryan’s only hit was a single in the fifth, after Leech had been substituted. The Bruisers (30-6) scored all three of their first-inning runs with two outs and for the game, had three extra base hits and four players with at least two hits each.
Lead off batter Tory Lewis had three triples in the two games, including one which was nearly an inside-the-park home run but she was called out at the plate. In the second game, Lewis scored from second on a wild pitch.