By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
RINGWOOD – Okarche opened the 2019 Ringwood Spring Swing tournament with a strong showing against Thomas-Fay-Custer last Thursday.
The Warriors took advantage of free passes and a big second inning on route to a 17-11 win over the Terriers, the team’s second victory of the season.
Okarche racked up 11 hits and 10 walks against Terrier pitching and scored eight runs in the bottom of the second to all but seal the win.
Jaydn Arms led off the bottom half of the frame with a single and eventually moved to third after a single by Katie Bomhoff and a walk by Kammie Benson to load the bases. Chloe Wanger drove in the first run of the inning with a single before the second and third runs were pushed across after bases-loaded walks to Ady Arms and Raegan Robinson to give the Warriors a 3-2 lead. Hayley Coffey followed with an RBI-single before a one-out, bases-loaded walk to Karsyn Vallerand for a 5-2 lead. Jaydn Arms drove in Robinson, Coffey and Vallerand for a 8-2 lead in her second at-bat of the frame.
Jaydn Arms led the way at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and five RBIs. Coffey went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBIs while Ady Arms went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Bomhoff, Wanger and Faith Maberry each racked up one hit.
Bomhoff picked up her first win of the season for Okarche, tossing seven innings while giving 11 runs, but just two earned. She threw 113 pitches, walked six, gave up eight hits and struck out one.
Thomas-Fay-Custer scored two runs in the top of the first inning before tacking on two more in the top of the second for a 4-0 lead.
The Terriers followed Okarche’s 11-run second and third innings with four runs in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 11-8.
They combined to score five runs in the fifth and sixth innings, however it wasn’t enough as the Warriors tallied five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Coffey led off the bottom of the sixth with a double before four straight one-out walks to Vallerand, Lyric Hickock, Jadyn Arms and Bomhoff, pushing across two runs. A RBI-groundout by Kammie Benson extended the lead to 15-11 before a RBI-single by Ady Arms and a run on an error for a 17-11 lead and the eventual win.
The Warriors return to the dimaond Monday to host Class 3A No. 11 Hinton at 4:30 p.m. before hosting Class 4A Hennessey on Tuesday.
Okarche heads to the 2019 Hennessey tournament next Friday through Saturday for the team’s second straight weekend of action.
