Chatham Shuts Out Mountain Lakes, 12-0

MOUNTAIN LAKES — Solid pitching and strong defense allowed the Chatham softball team to shut out Mountain Lakes.

It was the team's eight-run second inning that proplled the Cougar offense.

Chatham defeated Mountain Lakes on Thursday, 12-0, after playing a complete game. Catcher Alex St. Romain looked comfortable in her lead off role for Chatham as she started off the game by hitting a hard single. After stealing second, an anxious Mountain Lakes catcher overthrew third as St. Romaine made a dash to steal her second base of the inning. The quick Cougar was able to capitalize on the Laker's mistake and score the first of Chatham's 12 runs in the game.

Before the inning's end, Caroline Murphy would score off of a Cara Delsandro double bringing the Cougars up by two runs before Mountain Lakes had seen a pitch.

But the Lakers' trouble had not even begun.

Unable to penetrate the solid fielding of the Cougar defense, the Lakers' trailed 2-0 heading into what would be a devastating inning for Mountain Lakes' chances.

Kelly Winans reached first on a Mountain Lakes error, and after Catrina Yohay reached on a single and Kelsey Davies drew a walk, St. Romain was hit by a pitch, and Winans scored the team's third run.

With the bases loaded Kendall Davies smacked the ball into the outfield for a double, sending Yohay and her sister, Kelsey, home to score the team's next two runs easily. When Alex St. Romain rounded third, a flustered Mountain Lakes' outfielder hurled the ball over the backstop, allowing St. Romain to walk in and score the team's sixth run. Davies advanced to third.

By the end of the inning the Cougars had batted through their lineup, had seen two Mountain Lakes pitchers and were leading the Lakers 10-0.

"Our bench had some big hits," said Head Coach Alexis Davies. "It's great to see different players in different places in the order getting hits—it makes everyone feel part of the team."

The Lakers were unable to score in the inning. And the Cougars weren't done.

St. Romain led off the third inning by getting hit by a pitch for the second. This time, the frustrated St. Romain took the pitch on the protective pad covering her previously injured elbow. As the two coaches exchanged words, St. Romain recovered on first base.

The two teams exchanged scoreless innings in the third and fourth—Chatham was helped by the solid play of the Davies sisters at second base and shortstop.

Entering the fifth inning, the ten-run mercy rule and an embarrassing loss at home loomed ahead for Mountain Lakes. However, they could not hold the strong bats of Chatham who tacked on two more runs before shutting the Lakers down in the bottom of the fifth. The mercy rule then went into effect and the game ended.

Davies noted that her confidence in her team is lifted after such games.

"This is the type of effort we need every game," she said.

With the win, Chatham improves to 8-4.