Bay Softball rolls past Valley Forge 22-4

Bay Rockets Softball erased an early deficit and pulled away for a 22-4 win over Valley Forge on Monday at Nike Site Park, using a relentless lineup and a five-inning effort from Lucy Corbett in the circle. The decisive turn came in the second inning, when the Rockets answered Valley Forge’s four-run first with a four-hit surge that pushed Bay in front for good at 7-4.

Aleiyha Aponte led the attack with six RBIs on five hits, setting the tone all afternoon. She opened Bay’s scoring with an RBI double in the top of the first on the eighth pitch of the at-bat, then added a two-run single in the second, an RBI single in the third, a two-run double in the fourth and another run-scoring single in the fifth. Aponte’s production anchored a lineup that finished with 18 hits and kept pressure on Valley Forge throughout the game.

Valley Forge grabbed the lead in the bottom of the first. Gracie Kercher tripled home two runs, an error brought in another, and Rhya Morris followed with an RBI single to make it 4-1. Bay’s response was immediate. Julia Mavis, Caitie Petersen, Aponte and Lizzie McFarland all delivered singles in the second inning as the Rockets scored six times to seize control. Bay added four more runs in the third behind a Mavis double, an Ella Taulbee single and another Aponte hit, stretching the margin before an even bigger fourth inning put the game out of reach.

The Rockets scored five runs on five hits in the fourth. Taulbee singled in two runs, Aponte doubled in two more, and Ava Bottone added an RBI single. Bay then sent 12 batters through in a six-run fifth, scoring on a walk by Mavis, an RBI single from Aponte, bases-loaded walks to McFarland and Bottone, a run-scoring single by Lucy Corbett, and a fielder’s choice off the bat of Ariah Baum. Bay also showed patience from top to bottom, drawing 11 walks, with Baum collecting three of them, and stole four bases.

Corbett earned the win, allowing six hits and four runs, only one earned, over five innings. She struck out six and walked two. The defensive support behind her steadied after the opening inning, and Bay did not allow Valley Forge to build on its early momentum. Taulbee, Mavis, Petersen and Corbett each had multiple hits for the Rockets, adding depth to an offense that produced in every inning after the first. For Valley Forge, Kercher drove in two runs, while Madelynn Clark, Camille Barroga, Leilah Martinez, Kercher, Reagan Sebera and Morris each recorded a hit. Martinez also stole two bases.

Bay improved its day with a complete offensive performance despite thunderstorm conditions and 63-degree weather in Parma. After overcoming the early 4-1 hole, the Rockets piled up runs in each of the next four innings and never let Valley Forge back into the game. Bay’s next matchup is Tuesday at Buckeye.