Freshman Hurler Leads Henderson To First Softball Win

 And a freshman shall lead them.

Ninth grade pitcher Lauren Butts handcuffed Great Valley hitters all afternoon then drove home the final run of the game as West Chester Henderson posted its first win of the softball season Monday with a 10-0 victory over the Patriots.

Both teams came into the Ches-Mont League division crossover game winless. But Butts was a master on the mound and got a 12-hit support from her teammates as the Warriors needed just five innings to top the Patriots thanks to the PIAA mercy rule.

It was apparent right from the start that this was going to be Butts' day. After allowing a leadoff single to start the game, she quickly struck out the next three Great Valley batters to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the first, Rachel Gadbow started the first of five Henderson rallies with an infield hit, then stole second. Heidi Mccollester slapped a single through the infield and Gadbow raced home with a 1-0 WCH lead. Mccollecter managed to get to third on a pair of Great Valley errors, but died there when Michelle Farhat flew out and Butts was struck out by Patriot
counterpart Laura Tabbut.

Not to worry because the scoring drought the Warriors have suffered through early in the season was about to end.

Rightfield Alex Gustaitis reached first on a walk to open the Henderson half of the second and Janelle Wade doubled her to third. Bri Fulginiti drew a walk to load the bases before Tabbut unleased a wild pitch that plated Gustaitis (2-0) and the other baserunners moved up. Erin Sullivan walked to reload the sacs and Gadbow grounded out to second as Wade crossed with the third run.

Shannon Gray hit a one-hopped right back to Tabbut who threw home for the force and out number two and it looked like the GV masked hurler was going to wiggle out of the inning. But Mccollester had other ideas as she belted a three-run homer and West Chester Henderson had a 6-0 lead after two at-bats.

All the while, Butts was twirling a great game. After allowing the leadoff single in the first, she retired nine straight through the third, six on strikeouts including five straight K's at one point.

The Henderson bats plated two more runs in the third. With one out, Fulginiti got on with an infield single and was wild pitched to second. Sullivan singled to right to give the Warriors a first and third situation before Gadbow, who had three hits on the day, doubled to right center to make it 8-0.

Great Valley tried to mount a rally in the fourth when an error and single put two runners on, but Butts got a strikeout, fielders choice and a strikeout to end the uprising. She would walk the first hitter to begin the fifth but reared back to strike out the next three GV hitters, giving her 11 for the afternoon.

The Warriors put the game away in the bottom of the fifth when, with one away, Gadbow was safe on an infield hit. Gray singled and Gadbow raced from first to home with the ninth run. After a single from Mccollester sent Gray to third, Butts lofted a flyball to right that sent her home for a 10-0 lead and Henderson celebrated its first victory.

Along with her 11 strikeouts, Butts only let four Patriots reach base and walked one. The hitting attack was led by Gadbow and Mccollester, who had three hits and three RBIs apiece.

Information on upcoming games

Henderson travels to Avon Grove on Tuesday, then host Coatesville on Wednesday and Bishop Shanahan on Thursday, all at 3:45 p.m.