Opening night for women's softball

It was opening day Tuesday night at Veterans Park.

0
Emily Turney gets a high-five from Carol Bailey and a smile from Julie Pringle after hitting a three-run home run. — Photo by Ralph Stewart

Women’s Softball League opened its 11th season Tuesday night at Veterans Park in Vineyard Haven. All six teams were in action on a cool, misty, overcast night.

The evening began with the Rug Sox playing the Shady Ladies on the main field, while the Snaps met the Creamers on Field B, near Causeway Road.

The Sox and Shadies played two innings of scoreless ball, but the Rug Sox blew the game open with seven runs in the third to win 13-0 in five innings. Nine Sox batters singled in the decisive third. Kathryn Clark, Kris Henricksen, Carol Bailey, Julie Pringle, Emily Turney, Jen Ingraham, and Jess Sonia all earned RBIs. Elizabeth Clark added another RBI in the fourth, scoring Wink Cron. Emily Turney keyed the Sox fifth with a three-run blast that landed well into the outfield of the ongoing Snaps-Creamers game. Sam Cron completed the scoring with a two-run single.

The Shadies highlights both came on defense, as center fielder Harriet Broun made two leaping grabs to rob Kris Henricksen.

With the Rug Sox victorious, the Creamers and Snaps played out a tight contest in the rapidly fading light. In the end, Emily Cooney knocked in a pair of runs, while Amanda Parker, Alleyne Hughes, and Julie Rodenbaugh all went 2 for 2 on the night to lift the Creamers to a 4-2 win over the 2014 runners-up.

The defending league champion Mama’s Girls and four-time champion Honeys closed out the night under the lights. The Mamas look to be strong contenders again after downing the Honeys 13-3 in five innings. The Mamas scored four runs in the first inning. Emily and Sara Williston both singled, setting the table for Jenna Zechner, who blasted a three-run homer to right. Jamie Forend singled to score Danielle Pappas for the fourth run.

Jillian “Chief” Sedlier knocked in two more Mamas runs in the second inning before Darcie Lee Hanaway and Martha Scheffer crossed the plate for the Honeys to make the score 6-2 entering the third. The champs put the game away with six runs in the fifth. Jillian Sedlier, Emily Williston, Jenna Zechner, and Caroline Davey all got hits before Danielle Pappas provided the coup de grace with a two-run homer.