BRIDGEPORT – Coming off a double-header loss at Bellaire Saturday, the initial two setbacks of the season for Coach Michael Brock’s Monroe Central softball team, the Seminoles were hoping to get back to their winning ways with a Tuesday afternoon trip to winless Bridgeport.

And Brock’s team did not disappoint, collecting 14 hits, taking advantage of eight Bulldogs’ errors and repeatedly moving up extra bases almost every time a runner got on.

Senior Liz Roderick scattered six hits in the circle, fanning seven and walking two, while adding two singles, a triple and three RBI and junior Kalista Friday added a single, triple and chased home three runs and Monroe Central pushed across nine first inning runs and never looked back in rolling to a five-inning, 20-2, victory at Bridgeport High School.

“We struggled getting any kind of timely hits Saturday and just didn’t play well in losing two games at Bellaire, so I was really hoping we could put it back together (Tuesday),” Brock said. “And we definitely did a lot better job getting hits, especially after their mistakes, and getting runs homes. We also like to press the issue when we get runners on and can do it and that worked out well for us also.”

The Semioles (3-2) first inning consisted of sending 13 batters to the plate, collecting four hits while taking advantage of four Bridgeport (0-6) errors and a walk. Trista Morris singled to get things started and end up at third after a pair of stolen bases before Roderick walked and Friday brought her home with the initial run of the contest.

Ryleigh Winland added an RBI with a fielder’s choice while Friday’s second hit of the frame, a two-run triple, capped the nine-run outburst later in the first.

“It all starts with coming to the game prepared to play and in doing that you can’t bury yourself in a nine-run hole before you even come to bat,” Bridgeport Coach Tim Smith commented. “And the worst part was that the errors we made to give them that big inning were all routine plays that should have been made. And it was pretty much the entire team, not just one girl holding us back.”

It was more of the same with four runs on three hits, an error and a walk in the second as the lead expanded to 13-0. Roderick two-run single was the big hit while Makenna Matz also singled home a run in the inning.

An unearned tally in the third made it 14-0 before the Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom half of the frame. Natalie Garlea worked a lead-off walk before losing pitcher Haley Aubrey blasted a double to left to put runners on second and third. Brooke Stewart, who had tripled earlier in the contest, chased home the first run on a fielder’s choice before Markie McCormick’s run-scoring base hit made it a 14-2 score.

A pair of RBI triples from RODERICK and Regan Hamilton provided two of the visitors three runs in the fourth before a Morris single and a three-base error capped the scoring with three more in the fifth.

“We only have three girls back from two years ago, so we are still a pretty young team and a work in progress,” Brock added. “But after the losses on Saturday, I am really satisfied with how well we played (Tuesday).”

Morris finished with two singles and an RBI for the winners while Kyra English added two base hits. McCormick had two of Bridgeport’s six safties.

“You have to get hits and you aren’t going to beat good teams with just a few hits,” Smith admitted. “You have to put things together from the top of the lineup to the bottom and we have struggled to do that all season.”

Monroe Central returns to action this afternoon at Barnesville while Bridgeport pays a visit to Shadyside this afternoon.

Monroe Central 20, Bridgeport 2

Monroe Central 941 33 — 20 14 1

Bridgeport 002 00 — 2 6 8

M-Konderick wp (7so, 2w) and Hamilton. Konderick 2S, T, 3rbi; Friday S, T, 3rbi; Morris 2S, rbi; Hamilton T, rbi; English 2S.

B-Aubrey lp (2so, 3w) and Lewis. Stewart T, rbi; Aubrey D; McCormick 2S, rbi.