On Thursday, September 27, the Fossil Ridge High School Sabercats took the softball field against the Monarch High School Coyotes. Not only did they take the win, 21-0, but they continued a six win streak and held their position as the third place team in the state.

The top of the first inning was dominated equally by junior pitcher McKenna James’ pitching and senior Amber King’s performance in left field. The Sabercats quickly retired three batters and went on the offensive, beginning with a leadoff double by senior Kristen Reed to right field. Reed stole third on the next pitch, and then a line drive to right by junior Jayden Mercado sent Reed home and Mercado to second. Cleanup hitter, senior Mia Moddelmog, used a hit to the shortstop to score Mercado. A couple pop flies ended the inning, but Fossil reentered the field 2-0 to begin the second.

James continued to strike batters out in the second inning, and so the Coyotes remained scoreless at the middle of the second. Two walks put Sabercats on first and second, and Reed again doubled to bring home another run and put herself and junior Rachel Cabezas in scoring position. Mercado hit a sacrifice fly to center, but Cabezas took the opportunity to tag and score. Then, a combination of several hits and walks loaded the bases, senior Rose Philop walked to score another run, and then a hard line drive by King scored two more runs. James slammed a line drive to the right field line, scoring yet two more runs, and finally, Reed blasted home run behind the right-center fence to score three more.

Fossil didn’t let up, as senior Kate Delaney rocked a two-run home run behind the centerfield wall. King, sophomore Mia Moore, and freshman Nikki McGaffin scored another run apiece with base hits. Junior Parker Wilson found a left field gap to score two runs, and her twin sister Lindsey Wilson refused to be shown up, knocking in two of her own with a fly ball to center. Monarch finally found their way out of the inning, but the damage was done – Fossil led 21-0 as the Sabercats again took the field for the third inning.

After Fossil executed three successive outs, including a double play, the run rule kicked in, as Fossil had scored over twenty runs in three innings.

Delaney expressed that playing her senior season after four years with Fossil is “honestly surreal. It’s my last season, I keep reminding myself, but it’s definitely fun.”