Sedona Red Rock High School’s softball team rebounded from a Central Region loss to Northland Preparatory Academy on April 4 with a 22-3 pounding of Glendale Preparatory Academy on Friday, April 7.
The Scorpions [3-8, 2-3 Central] then received a visit from Williams High School, the No. 4 team in Conference 1A, on Saturday, April 8, losing 11-4.
During the Friday matchup with the visiting Griffins, Red Rock racked up 18 hits, 10 for extra bases, and used a 12-run second inning to put the game away early.
Scorpions junior Natalie Monge hit a grand slam during that offensive explosion after Glendale Prep senior pitcher Sarah Wright did the hosts a favor, walking the three batters prior. It was Monge’s second home run of the game; she hit a two-run shot in the first inning.
By the inning’s end, Red Rock led 15-0, and Scorpions freshman Natalie Montgomery entered the pitcher’s circle for the rest of the game.
Montgomery gave up a leadoff triple plus consecutive walks, and the Griffins managed three runs before the end of the inning.
Red Rock scored at least two runs in every frame. Monge and freshman Odalis Robles had a game-high three hits. Monge racked up seven RBI and three runs scored as well.
After the Northland Prep game, Red Rock head coach Ethan Hartz talked about his team avoiding giving up a “blow-up inning.” Against Williams on April 8, the Vikings did just that, going up 6-0 in the first.
It was a deficit too large to overcome, but the Scorpions did chip away in the second and third. The top of their lineup has been productive all season, and it was junior leadoff Courtney Chalmers who scored the second run off of a Monge double.
Chalmers has been one of the most consistent batters all season, and Hartz had praise for her after the Northland Prep loss.
“Courtney definitely stood out, she played awesome,” Hartz said.
The Vikings did put together more scoring frames. They took advantage of free bases getting their leadoff batter on.
The Red Rock defense did hold the visitors without a base runner on two occasions, in the third and fifth innings.
Down 11-2 in the seventh, the Scorpions did not give up.
Freshman Grace Hafner tripled, and with two outs they showed discipline at the plate. Sophomore Kelsey Woellmer and Chalmers drew walks to load the bases before sophomore Kamila Doran singled in the third run and Woellmer scored the final run on a passed ball.
Chalmers and Robles led the way with two hits each while Chalmers scored two runs. Monge and Doran each had one RBI, and four of the seven total hits were for extra bases.
Monge went the distance in the circle, giving up nine earned runs on nine hits while walking three and striking out eight.
