Grant County beats Williamstown in softball

Friday, April 14, the Grant County Braves and Williamstown Demons softball teams faced off for “Coaches vs Cancer Night” at Grant’s home field. The game raised a total of $3000 for Kameron McHolland, with the Lester Feet Foundation contributing half of that total.

Grant County came out the victor in the cross-county contest, winning 15-0.

Williamstown started at bat but Grant soon gained two strikeouts, earning Brianna Knochelman her 700th career strikeout. The Demons were unable to make headway in the top of the first and another strikeout by Knochelman sent Grant on the offensive.

Karaline Peer pitched for Williamstown as the Demons went on defense. Knochelman kicked off the Braves’ first at bat, singling on a line drive up center field. After Myla Rose replaced Knochelman as a courtesy runner, Peer forced out Payton Gosney at first while Rose advanced to second. Morgan Mink then knocked Grant’s second base hit with a ground ball, putting the Braves in a position to score.

Grant took the lead after Kaylee Mullins doubled with a fly ball to left field, allowing Rose and Mink to score. A sacrifice fly by Kylie Rayburn earned the Braves a third run while a catch by Leslie Martin gained Williamstown a second out. Peer forced a second out to Lauryn Cleveland on first base, ending the first inning.

During the second inning, the Demons once again struggled to create momentum as catches by Gosney and Jaylie Vance along with a strikeout by Knochelman shut down Williamstown’s offense.

In the bottom of the second inning, Peer struck out the first Grant batter. Shortly after Calleigh Hammons was walked, Knochelman doubled to right field. Although Hammons was able to score Grant’s fourth run on a passed ball, the Demons held the Braves to a single run in the second inning.

Heading into the top of the third inning, Grant kept a tight fist around their lead as Knochelman shut down the Demons’ offense with three strikeouts.

After a fly-out to Aubrey Lausman in the bottom of the inning, Grant extended their lead, scoring an additional four runs. Rayburn singled then was brought home by Cull. A ground ball by Vance and two errors by Williamstown then allowed Cull to score. Kaydin Hudson brought Vance home with a sacrifice fly to Emma Simpson, while Knochelman brought home Hammons. Webb earned the Demons’ third out by tagging out Rose as she advanced to second base.

During the top of the fourth inning, Knochelman earned her 10th strikeout of the game as she struck out another three Demon batters.

Williamstown struggled on defense. A combination of errors and impressive batting by Grant helped the Braves push their lead. First at bat for the Braves was Gosney, who walked. Next, an error allowed Mink to advance to second while Gosney scored. Another error by Williamstown’s defense saw Mullins reach first. Rayburn then singled, followed by a double from Cull that brought Rayburn and Mullins home. Vance, Cull, and Hudson were all able to score in the remainder of the inning. The game finished in four innings with Grant winning 15-0.