Photo by Kim North Martins Ferry’s Giana Chirpas slides headfirst into third base during Friday’s game against Bellaire at the Bellaire Middle School diamond in St. Joe. Chripas, an Ohio University commit as a junior, had two doubles and an RBI that gave her a program-record 102 for her career. Applying the late tag is Bellaire’s Marissa Pacifico while Purple Riders head coach Jerry Magistro watches closely. Martins Ferry won 10-0 in five innings to improve to 9-0.

ST. JOE – It was business as usual on Good Friday for the Martins Ferry softball team. The Purple Riders used one big inning, solid pitching and flawless defense in a 10-0, five-inning, rout of homestanding Bellaire on the sun-splashed Bellaire Middle School diamond.

With the victory, Martins Ferry improved to a spotless 9-0 and capped a 4-0 week in which they outscored their opponents by a whopping 46-6.

“Everybody in our order is hitting right now. They’ve all done well,” veteran Martins Ferry head coach Jerry Magistro said. “Our slappers and bunts are getting the ‘punch’ down as we call it. I’m happy where we are right now.”

Leading 1-0 after three innings, the Purple Riders exploded for seven runs on nine hits in the top of the fourth to pull away. A pair of tallies in the top of the fifth kicked in the 10-run mercy rule.

“Our girls didn’t make some plays they should’ve made that helped them out,” Bellaire head coach Dave Menendez said. “We can’t string two or three hits together. That’s our season in a nutshell.”

Kendyl Brandon started the uprising with a leadoff walk before Tori Long, Keigan Brandon, Ella Mamone and Alivia Reese followed with consecutive singles, with Mamone and Reese each collecting an RBI. With the bases still loaded, winning pitcher Maddie Lucas came with a foot of a grand slam, settling for a two-run double when her blast to right-center hit off the top of the fence. Makayla Cole’s groundout chased in Reese before Giana Chirpas and Gracie Lucas belted back-to-back RBI doubles.

The run batted in by Chirpas, just a junior, gave the Ohio University commit 102 for her career, which spans two seasons and nine games. It surpassed the mark of 101 set by Kayla Lewis from 2005-2008.

Gracie Lucas followed an intentional walk to Chirpas with a two-run double in the fifth to make it 10-0.

“Gracie has been making teams pay for pitching around Giana all season,” Magistro said of his junior No. 4 hitter. “She’s really hitting the ball.”

Long led the Purple Riders’ 13-hit parade with a trio of singles. Chirpas and Gracie Lucas had a pair of doubles each, while Kendyl Brandon singled twice.

All the while, Maddie Lucas was working her magic inside the circle. The junior fanned eight, didn’t walk a Big Red batter and scattered four singles and a double. She threw 69 pitches, of which 48 went for strikes.

“I thought Maddie pitched well once again,” Magistro said of his ace in the circle.

Jaela Phillips singled and doubled for Bellaire.

Martins Ferry returns to action Monday when Cambridge visits the hilltop above the Purple City. Bellaire is also off until Monday when Barnesville visits.

Martins Ferry 10, Bellaire 0

M. Ferry 001 72 – 10 13 0

Bellaire 000 00 – 0 5 2

MF-M. Lucas wp (8K, 0BB) and Rose; M. Lucas S, 2rbi; Cole rbi; Chirpas 2D, 2rbi; G. Lucas 2D, 3rbi; Ken. Brandon 2S; Long 3S; Mamone S, rbi; Reese S, rbi

B-Menendez lp (3K, 1BB), Dodds (5), (1K, 2BB) and Phillips; Phillips S, D