WEST POINT — Sophomore Tatum Berry wasn’t willing to let Thursday night’s game go on any longer.
West Point’s starter in a key district game against Columbus, Berry ran into some trouble in the top of the first inning, allowing two runs, but got plenty of offensive support from the Green Wave in the second as they hung 17 runs on the Falcons.
Despite being down 20-2, Columbus wasn’t going down so easy, getting a run and loading the bases with two outs.
All Berry needed was one out, and she finally got it on a strikeout as West Point won, 20-3, its first district win of the season.
“Being a pitcher is tough,” Berry said. “You have to be your biggest cheerleader. It’s hard to keep yourself up in times like that, but you just have to prepare yourself to keep going and throw strikes. I knew my defense had me, so that’s what I did.”
With so many productive performances offensively for West Point (7-3, 1-3 in district), Berry found a way to stand out among the rest. In that second inning, with a 9-2 lead and the bases loaded, she drove a pitch to the right-center field gap for an inside-the-park grand slam.
“She threw me one right down the middle,” Berry said. “I told myself before I got up there that whatever she throws, I’m swinging hard. I put a good swing on it and it went.”
The Green Wave struggled early on in district play, unable to find their rhythm, and Thursday’s win was crucial toward their hopeful postseason push.
Berry is at the forefront of that, someone who’s been one of the better pitchers in the circle for West Point and a clutch hitter as she showcased in the second.
“She’s definitely built up in the circle,” West Point head coach Nathan Ellis said. “She’s one of those that we’ve thrown a lot in big games. She’s a competitor, one of those players that you always want to coach. She’s going to go out there and give you 110 percent.”
As one of the younger leaders on the team, Berry will continue to get the ball in big games.
Just a few district games for the Green Wave, and finally getting that first win under their belts was much-needed in this late stretch of the season.
“It’s a huge confidence boost, especially after losing to New Hope, not really playing good games,” Berry said. “It’s big for me and the entire team.”
Columbus (3-8, 0-3 in district) managed just two hits in Thursday’s loss as Berry struck out eight Falcons in three innings.
They worked three walks and benefitted from two West Point errors, but a tough day in the circle put the game out of reach quickly.
“I told them to keep fighting,” Columbus head coach Kaitlin Bradley said. “I told them that (West Point) has to come see us again at our place in April. We’re going to pick up, work on our mistakes and keep moving forward.”
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