The Park Hill Trojans’ softball team has won eight games in a row heading into Wednesday’s battle with rival Park Hill South.
The game with South was originally scheduled for Monday but was pushed back to Wednesday. Overall the Trojans improved their record over the weekend with wins over Willard 6-0 on Saturday, Sept. 21 and Webb City 2-0 on Friday, Sept. 20. Park Hill has not lost since Sept. 3 in a road game at Liberty North. Since then the Trojans have rattled off wins over Lee’s Summit North, Smithville, Truman, St. Joseph Central and North Kansas City twice in addition to the wins over the weekend.
Park Hill pitcher Brooklyn Bertoncino has given up only one earned run in 16 innings for the Trojans during the streak. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
During the eight game winning streak the Trojans’ pitching staff has allowed only six runs while the offense has been clobbering opposing pitching averaging more than 10 runs per game over that stretch. Junior Brooklyn Bertoncino and sophomore Mandia Bock have both been the biggest reason the Trojans have dominated opposing lineups.
Park Hill pitcher Mandia Bock has been sitting down hitters and lighting up the scoreboard with her bat when the Trojans are on offense. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Bertoncino has been a nightmare for opposing hitters during the streak. The junior pitcher has gone 16 innings giving up only one earned run and only seven hits while walking three batters and striking out 31 including sitting down 12 in her last start versus Willard.
Park Hill’s Jade Tucker lays down a bunt for a base hit in the win versus Truman last week. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Bock likewise has been causing anxiety for opposing hitters going 24 innings giving up only two runs on 11 hits while walking six and striking out 37 hitters.
Ellie Harris / DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Both ladies have also come up big with the bats during the stretch. In a 10-2 win over Lee’s Summit North on Sept. 9 both sluggers went 3 for 4 from the plate. Bertoncino had a double and a triple while scoring two runs and driving in another. In that game senior Cooper Powell and freshman Jade Tucker each drove in two runs.
Freshman Cooper Powell slid in safe for a two-run triple. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo