Western Brown High School freshman Jayci Barnes eyes the ball as she takes a swing during action April 26, 2023, against Batavia High School at the Western Brown field. Barnes led the Lady Broncos with two hits, including a home run, and three RBI.
Western Brown High School’s Lexi Sutton unwinds on a pitch during action April 26, 2023, against Batavia High School at the Western Brown field.
Western Brown High School freshman Jayci Barnes, left, tries to avoid the tag by Batavia High School catcher Emma Hopper during action April 26, 2023, at the Western Brown field.
Western Brown High School’s Lilah Flores, right, tries to tag Batavia High School’s Kaylee Williams, left, at second base while the Lady Broncos’ Morgan Schlosser, back, looks on during action April 26, 2023, at the Western Brown field.
There are still a few weeks left in the high school softball regular season.
But don’t tell that to the Western Brown High School team.
With only one loss overall and in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference this season entering last week, the Lady Broncos seemed to step up their play yet another notch, going 3-0 on the week while outscoring their opponents 31-1, with two of those games shortened to five innings.
Because, for the Lady Broncos, it’s pre-playoff time.
“Everything we do from now on is to prepare for the sectional tournament,” Western Brown coach Blaine Wallace said following what turned out to be the Broncos’ closest game of the week, an 8-1 victory over Batavia High School on April 26 at the Western Brown field. “We will most likely play teams three or four times our size. We will have to play mistake-free softball and get the clutch hits we need. We pride ourselves on playing well come tourney time and we are very capable of making another nice run.”
The Lady Broncos got the sort of performance Wallace is looking for now against a Batavia team that won its three other games last week, including two in convincing fashion. The Lady Bulldogs even led against the Lady Broncos – 1-0 through the first half of the third inning. But the Lady Broncos scored twice in the bottom of the third, then added four runs in the fourth and another two in the fifth while shutting out the Bulldogs over the last four innings.
Western Brown improved to 8-1 in the conference, just behind New Richmond (9-0) in the American Division, and 17-1 overall.
Freshman first baseman Jayci Barnes led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and a run scored. But she wasn’t alone in the Lady Broncos’ offensive spotlight. Junior Gracie Heitker added two RBI, junior Morgan Schlosser was 3-for-4 with an RBI and senior Kyla Conley added two hits, including a triple, and an RBI.
Barnes is second in the SBAAC with six homers and Barnes and Conley are tied for third in the conference with .552 batting averages.
“Offensively, we have had everyone come up with big hits during the year,” Wallace said. “That makes us tougher to defend, knowing that everyone in the lineup can contribute.”
Meanwhile, senior pitcher Lexi Sutton was again sensational, allowing only one hit, no earned runs, walking just two and striking out 12.
Sutton, 13-0, is second in the conference in wins, third in strikeouts with 110 in 82.2 innings, and fourth in earned run average at 1.44.
Behind her, the defense had just one error against Batavia.
“We have had a good year so far,” Wallace said. “We have had good pitching and defense all year. That is something we have always taken pride in, and we expect it to continue.”