HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: CRUSADERS USE SMALL BALL, GET SHUTOUT FROM SWITZER AS THEY TOP EDISON (24 PHOTOS) (2022-04-06)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
SOUTHPORT — The Notre Dame softball team has proven over the past couple of years that they can win games with their power.

On Tuesday afternoon they showed they can also win games playing small-ball.

Notre Dame put up eight runs, combining six hits with five walks as they beat Edison 8-0.

The Crusaders put up eight runs with no player getting more than one hit in the game.

“It’s perfect, it really shows us we don’t have to rely on one or two people,” Notre Dame’s Lawson Bigelow said. “We can really come together as a team. It shows everybody is needed for us to be as successful as we are.”

For the Crusaders it’s fun to manufacture runs.

“Small ball makes things a lot more interesting,” Olivia Switzer said.

Switzer threw a four-hit shutout in the win, striking out 10 and walking just one in the game.

“I’m excited for the rest of the season, especially with the team behind me,” Switzer said.

After neither team got on the board in the first inning, Shannon Maloney drew a one-out walk in the second inning and scored on a Meg Agan double.

In the third inning Payton Miller singled to start the inning and Switzer doubled which moved Miller to third. Miller scored on a ground out by Bigelow.

Notre Dame scored three times in the fourth inning to stretch the lead out.

Maddie Fargo reached on an error and she moved to second on the error. Alexia Blitz sacrificed Fargo to third and Paige Harvey laid down a squeeze bunt to score Fargo.

Ava Mustico singled and took second on the throw and Miller reached on an error to load the bases. Harvey scored on a passed ball to make it 5-0.

Notre Dame capped the scoring in the sixth. After a Harvey walk, Mustico grounded out which allowed Harvey to advance to third. Miller laid down a squeeze bunt helping Harvey score and Miller took second on an error. Switzer hit a hard ground ball, which led to an error scoring Miller and Switzer scored on a double by Bigelow.

For Notre Dame bunts and sacrifices played a key role in the win.

“All of our practices are showing when we are bunting, everyone was bunting good,” Miller said.

Notre Dame opened the season at the Mudville Tournament, dropping a pair of games to big schools, an extra inning game to a AA school and a game to a Class A school.

For Notre Dame that game just helped them get ready for games like Tuesday.

I think Mudville really prepared us,” Bigelow said. “We played great teams, that really put our skills and how we play in perspective and really told us what we needed to work on and prepared us for today.

“It feels great. It’s just a great way to start our season. Everyone is excited by the win. We just came out and everyone had each others back and it really showed us what we can do as a team. It showed us we had each others backs and we can do anything when we work together as a team.”

Getting a win over a rival like Edison is always a big victory.

“It feels great, especially coming in first game in our section, especially against one of our biggest rivals,” Bigelow said.

Agan had a double an dan RBI in the game and Bigelow had a double and two RBI.

Maddie Fargo, Mustico and Miller had hits and Switzer had a double. Mustico scored a run and Miller had an RBI and a stolen base, with two runs scored, while Switzer scored a run.

Harvey had an RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases and Maloney scored a run.

Emily Aiello and Brianna Korsky each had doubles for Edison and Emma Maggs and Bella Moffe each had hits in the game.

Mariana Jones struck out seven on the mound for the Spartans.

“We definitely wanted to take the win tonight,” Switzer said. “We came out with a win, it was nice.”

The players know that Tuesday’s win is something they can build on.

“I think this game just sets a tone for the rest of the season,” Switzer said.

“I think this game is getting us ready for the next game, and Myrtle,” Miller added.
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IN TOP PHOTO: Notre Dame’s Olivia Switzer delivers a pitch against Edison. . . PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES