Taylor Brotemarkle drove in five runs Wednesday, part of a 14-hit, 18-run explosion for the red-hot Hammerheads. (Jackie Saia photo)
Pull the whistle, cause the freight train is running folks over.
Slamming out 14 hits Wednesday night, the Central Whidbey Little League Juniors softball squad roared from behind to claim an 18-12 road win over arch-rival North Whidbey.
With the victory, the Hammerheads push their winning streak to seven games and counting, and carry a 7-2 record into an extended break.
Central Whidbey is off until June 6, when it hosts South Skagit for a doubleheader.
Wednesday night they jumped on North Whidbey early, fell behind, then unleashed the full might of their bats to reclaim control of the game.
“Girls gutted it out,” said CWLL coach Fred Farris. “(Pitcher) Savina (Wells) battled hard against their really good lineup.
“My hat’s off to her for finding the physical and mental fortitude to play seven games in seven days between softball and basketball.”
Five runs in the top of the first got things off to a festive start for Central Whidbey.
Mia Farris started the mini-explosion with a one-out walk, followed by a single off the bat of Wells, then the Hammerheads really started painting using every part of the field.
Madison McMillan bashed an RBI double to center, with Taylor Brotemarkle smacking an RBI single to right, and Chloe Marzocca scorching an RBI single to left.
North Whidbey scraped their way back, however, putting up two runs in the bottom half of the first, before tacking on five in the second to surge ahead 7-5.
The Hammerheads got one run back, but should have had more.
Teagan Calkins led off the top of the second with a triple, but never made it home as North Whidbey’s defense clamped down.
Things went a little better with the same situation in the third, with McMillan blasting a leadoff triple, then sauntering home to score on an RBI single from Katie Marti.
With North Whidbey pushing two runs across in the third, the Hammerheads came to bat in the top of the fourth trailing 9-6, but showing no panic.
Instead, Central Whidbey’s bash queens blistered the ball to the tune of nine runs in the frame, turning a thriller into a rout.
The Hammerheads mixed five hits and five walks (including Mayleen Weatherford being plunked) to create the extravaganza of runs, with nearly everyone in the lineup chipping in.
Candace Meek led off with a single, with Marti, Calkins, and Mia Farris all whomping two-baggers in support.
Up 15-9, Central cruised in from there for the win, with Wells holding North Whidbey down with precision pitching, while her defense played lights-out behind her.
The Hammerheads spread their offense around, with eight of 11 batters getting a base-knock, and nine of 11 scoring.
With seven of the 14 hits being of the extra-base variety, Central’s coaching staff came away suitably impressed with their ferocious lineup.
Marzocca and Calkins both had liners which were ripped out of a cannon, but it was McMillan who truly wowed the gathered crowd.
She lashed a double and two triples, walked twice, and came around to score all five times.
Better yet, her big blows put the absolute fear of God into rival pitchers in three states.
“Madison’s triples would have both been over our fence (at Rhododendron Park),” Fred Farris said. “The second one hit half way up their “gray monster,” which is 220 feet (away) and 12 feet high.”
When McMillan wasn’t penning her epic tale, her teammates ably helped her cause.
Wells (three singles), Calkins (2B, 3B), Marti (1B, 2B), Farris (2B), Meek (1B), Marzocca (1B), and Brotemarkle (1B) all put the ball where the defense wasn’t.
Meanwhile Jada Heaton walked twice and scored both times, Weatherford and Anna Steckman made solid contributions, and Brotemarkle was raking, picking up a team-high five RBI.
