On Monday the Gallatin High School softball team suffered a 15-0 loss in three innings on the road in Lawson. The Bulldogs collected just one hit in that game. It was an unceremonious start to Homecoming week in Gallatin to say the least.
But Tuesday brought a trip to Albany and an opportunity to erase Monday’s wrongdoings in a timely manner. The Gallatin Bulldogs made the most of that opportunity.
Behind a pair of four-run innings late in the game, Gallatin pulled away from the Albany Warriors, collecting a 12-3 victory. The Bulldogs scored four in the fifth, two in the sixth and four more in the seventh to firmly put Albany in the rear-view mirror.
Gallatin struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the third inning to break up an apparent pitcher’s duel. Albany was quick to return the favor, going in front with a three-run bottom of the third.
“I was a little worried coming off of a one-hit game [at Lawson] the night before,” Gallatin head coach Penny Gardner said. “The girls were pretty flat on Monday and without having a practice I really didn’t know how we were going to handle it. We did manage to score a couple in the third but [Albany] answered with three themselves. At that point I figured we would see where we were at mentally.”
Gardner got her desired response as Gallatin roared to life after a scoreless fourth inning. The offense took off in the fifth and pitcher AnnaBelle Ball didn’t allow another Albany run to score after the three-run third.
Betty Rogers had four hits and four RBIs to lead Gallatin at the plate. Alex Endicott and Ashley Feiden each had three hits, three runs scored and one RBI in the win. Karydon Jones and Ball each added two hits.
In the circle, Ball yielded just the three runs, only one of which was earned. She scattered four hits, walked none and struck out three while throwing all seven innings.
“The girls pushed through and managed to keep [Albany] at three for the rest of the game and scored 10 total in the last three innings,” Gardner said. “It was great to see them put the Lawson game behind us and string some offense together.”
Gallatin moved to 9-7 overall on the season with the win.
The Bulldogs were back on the diamond on Thursday, hosting Worth County in Grand River Conference crossover action. Gallatin was sixth in the East Division this season while Worth County placed sixth in the West.
The Bulldogs’ next action will come on Monday as they travel to Gower to face East Buchanan. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.