By Eric Lusk
Sport Editor
elusk@elkintribune.com

BOONVILLE — Rebecca Aplin hadn’t been feeling well since Starmount’s softball team returned from its weekend trip to West Virginia.

But you wouldn’t have known that watching the junior swing the bat in Tuesday’s game against Surry Central.

Aplin went 2-for-3, including a crushing two-run double in the fifth inning that sparked the Rams to a 6-1 conference victory.

Aplin, who bats eighth in the order, also had a sacrifice bunt and scored two runs, helping Starmount keep its record undefeated at 11-0, 4-0 against Mountain Valley 2A foes.

“We don’t know where that came from tonight,” Starmount coach Heather Courts said after the game. “Yesterday, Becca practiced a little bit and then laid on the bench in the dugout. Maybe we’ll put her on the bench next week (before the Forbush game).”

The Rams cranked out 13 hits in all against the Golden Eagles (4-4, 2-3), but for awhile Courts’ team had problems bringing runners all the way around the bases.

Starmount didn’t score until the fourth frame. Heading into the fifth inning, the Rams had notched just one run and stranded nine, including a handful at third base.

“They like to stress me out I think,” Courts said. “But they finally got it going.”

Aplin’s single to lead off the fourth inning led to the first score. Maygan Baldwin bunted her way aboard, and Aplin motored to third base on the play while the Eagles tried to get Baldwin out.

Courts thought yet another threat might fizzle out after Carla Cave and Chelsea Varner both popped out. But senior Jana Matthews finally broke the scoring ice, sending a rocket single into the outfield to bring Aplin home.

Nichole Hutchens began the fifth inning for Starmount with a first-pitch single. With one out, Brittany White bunted her way aboard. Hutchens trucked to third base, and White followed to second after Central tried to make a play on Starmount’s lead runner.

With two runners in scoring position, Aplin cracked a well-hit double into the left-centerfield gap, allowing both teammates to cruise home for a 3-1 lead.

Cave brought another run home with a hit to left field. Varner then hit a standup triple over the centerfielder’s head to score Cave.

With a 5-1 lead, Starmount turned to freshman pitcher Courtney Groce, who finished off the last six outs in order. Groce struck out 10 on the night and allowed just two hits. She didn’t walk anyone but hit one batter.

The Rams’ final run came home when Surry Central misplayed a hit by Brittany White in the sixth inning, scoring Ashlee Handy.

Surry Central’s Lakken Weaver had the hardest hit of the night, sending a Groce offering well over the centerfield fence in the second inning. But other than a Weaver single later in the game, the Golden Eagles just weren’t able to find gaps in the Starmount defense.

Groce, at one point, struck out six batters in a row.

“We hung in there for about five innings,” Surry Central coach Phil Bowers said. “We’ve not been hitting the ball real well but that’s one thing we’re going to continue to work on. We just have to hang in there and not get down on ourselves.”

Eight of Starmount’s starters got at least one hit Tuesday. Varner was 3-for-4 with one RBI. Handy had two hits. Baldwin singled twice.

The Rams, at 11-0, are off to their best start in Courts’ tenure with the program. They‘ll have the rest of the week off from game action after West Wilkes moved Wednesday’s non-conference meeting to May 4 to make up some missed Northwest 1A games.

Starmount’s unbeaten streak will get the ultimate test next week. The Rams visit reigning MVAC champion Forbush on Tuesday, will go to North Surry on Wednesday and then will host defending 1A state champion East Surry on Thursday.

Starmount saw some of West Virginia’s top teams this past Saturday in the annual Cabell Midland Round Robin in Ona. WVa.

The Rams, traveling to Courts’ home town, beat the host school 10-0, Winfield 7-3 and previously unbeaten St. Albans 3-1. St. Albans, a Class AAA school, had been 13-0 until facing Courts’ red-hot squad.

Ashlee Handy hit a home run that sparked the Rams against St. Albans, tying the game 1-1. She finished with two of the team’s six hits in the game. Varner had a double. Hutchens was 1-for-2 with a run.

Aplin earned the pitching victory. She relieved starter Courtney Groce in the third inning and also pitched the fourth. Groce returned for the fifth, sixth and seventh frames.

“They have a pitch rule in West Virginia that they can only throw 14 innings in one day. We were unaware of this until the second inning of Game Three,” Courts said, explaining why she juggled pitchers against St. Albans.

Groce threw seven innings against Cabell Midland, recording a shutout. She also pitched two innings against Winfield, closing the game out and helping Aplin get another win.

Starmount brought some heavy bats with them to West Virginia. The Rams pounded out 13 hits against Cabell Midland. Matthews smashed her third home run of the season. Courtney Barnes, a JV call-up, hit a triple. Cave and Jessica White each had doubles.

Matthews finished 2-for-3, scoring three times and driving in two runs. White was 3-for-4 with two RBIs.

Jessica White stroked a triple as part of a 12-hit effort in the Winfield win. Aplin hit a double. Handy was 2-for-4 with a run in that contest. Cave finished 3-for-5 and scored once. Jessica White recorded two RBIs.

Starmount committed just two errors defensively during the three-game set.

Starmount 6,

Surry Central 1

Tuesday • at Boonville

Surry Central 010 000 0 — 1  2  2

Starmount 000 141 x — 6  13  0

WP: Courtney Groce (5-0); LP: Jessica Creed

HR: SC — Lakken Weaver