Ponte Vedra High School’s softball team used two mercy wins against district foes this past week to pull into a virtual tie with arch-nemesis Clay High School for first place in the final Class 6, District 4 standings. The Sharks hammered visiting Ridgeview 18-8 April 10, then blanked Pedro Menendez 10-0 at home on Senior Night the following night.
After falling behind Ridgeview 4-0 in the first three innings, the Sharks battled back to score three times in their half of the third, then tallied 12 more in the fourth inning and completed the mercy win with three runs in the fifth.
The Sharks pounded out 18 hits to match their 18 runs. Left fielder Quinlan Richmond had a perfect night at the plate for Ponte Vedra, going five-for-five with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored. Not to be outdone, third baseman Bailey Wagoner was also perfect at the plate with a three-for-three night, two RBIs and a run scored. Center fielder Scotland David chipped in with two hits in four trips, batting in two and scoring three times. Farley Callaghan, with four RBIs, and Kiley Hennessey also had multiple-hit games.
Michelle Holder pitched four and two-thirds innings, allowing five hits and four unearned runs to earn the win. Both teams committed four errors.
While the Ridgeview game was a defensive nightmare, the Sharks’ win over Pedro was near perfection – at least as far as Holder’s performance. She blanked the Falcons on a single hit – an infield bouncer in the third – struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
David came up with the big hit for the Sharks: a bases-loaded triple to right-center field in the fifth, while Michelle Leone, Hennessey and Holder each had two-hit games.
After scoring a single run in the first inning on Richmond’s RBI ground out and another in the second on Holder’s RBI single, Ponte Vedra made it 4-0 using a Richmond walk, a Callaghan single and Wagoner’s base hit over the first base bag.
The Sharks added another single run in the fourth to up their lead to 5-0. With two outs, David drew a walk, stole second and scored on Leone’s sharp single to left.
Ponte Vedra then earned the mercy win by scoring five runs in the fifth frame. Hennessey started the rally with a one-out infield single. Wagoner walked, but Hennessey was thrown out trying to steal third. Holder delivered Wagoner with a base hit, then Taylor Bradshaw and Cat Beaton both walked to load the bases. David’s line-drive triple to the fence in right center cleared the bases to put Ponte Vedra up 9-0. Michelle Leone’s infield hit – her second of the game – drove in the tenth and final run.
