Springs Valley Community High School

Two years ago, the Springs Valley softball team made the trip over to Paoli on a hot streak. The Blackhawks had won four of their last five games including a stunning 6-5 defeat of preeminent Patoka Lake Athletic Conference power West Washington just two days prior. It was a cold, drizzly Saturday morning and the Blackhawks fell flat on their faces, losing 15-2. On Thursday, the Springs Valley softball team made the trip over to Paoli having won two of their last three. The Blackhawks had beaten West Washington 4-0 two weeks prior. It was a cold, drizzly evening and the Blackhawks didn’t come close to falling on their faces. They absolutely romped over the Rams, scoring one run in the first inning and never looking back on their way to an 11-0 victory. “We talked about that before coming over here. No matter what the record is, it’s a conference game so you have to play your best,” Springs Valley senior Brynne Buchanan said. “Two years ago we came over here and overlooked them a little bit and we knew if we wanted to win the conference this year we couldn’t do that again. It’s a big step toward our goal this year and I’m really proud of the team.” Buchanan was the one who kicked things off for the ‘Hawks, hitting a leadoff triple on the very first pitch of the game. That would lead to an offensive explosion that included two more triples — one from Maci Eckerty and another from Bostyn Rowlett — as well as doubles from Ashlyn Bonta and Molly Tucker. As a team, the Blackhawks would hit in 11 of their 22 at-bats, also drawing four walks, getting hit by a pitch, and executing five sacrifice flies. They also stole five bases. “I think our bats really started to liven up from the middle to the end of the game. The girls were relaxed and they knew that they were hitting. They just had a good time,” Springs Valley coach Jill Stephens said. “Everybody’s bats were coming to life. I think that was a sign of calm brains and calm bodies. They were just having fun with it.” As hot as the Blackhawk bats were, Lily Hickman’s performance in the circle was even better. The sophomore absolutely dominated the Rams. She pitched all five innings without allowing a single hit. Of the 15 outs she recorded, 13 of them were strikeouts. The other two came via a ground ball to shortstop and a ground ball to second base. She allowed just two base runners in the game, one on an error and the other on a walk, and she did all of that on just 91 pitches. For her part, Hickman wasn't chasing history. She wasn't busy thinking about milestones. She just walked to the circle and did her thing. “I just went out there and pitched,” Hickman said. “I trusted my teammates out there. I knew they were going to make plays. That’s all I was really worried about.” Hickman’s dominance also helped inspire her teammates. By taking the load off of them defensively, she enabled them to attack at the plate. “In the moment the girls know that she’s doing well, but she doesn’t pay attention to any of her percentages or anything like that. When we tell her she had a no-hitter or whatever she’ll say ‘Oh really?’ I mean she’s oblivious. She just knows that she goes out and has a job to do,” Stephens said. “The girls are always just in awe of her. She’s not one of the more outgoing, talkative kiddos, but when she does talk the girls listen because she’s proven that she knows what she’s doing.” Springs Valley (6-6, 4-1 PLAC) has one more conference game left. On Tuesday they’ll take on Orange County rival Orleans on the road. If the Blackhawks can take the win, they’ll be just one Perry Central loss away from clinching a share of the PLAC title for just the third time in program history. That matchup with Orleans, however, is no gimme. “Orleans has really come alive. They’ve had a couple of down years where they were rebuilding and this year, they’re there. Monday when we practice, we’re really going to have to prepare,” Stephens said. “The girls know we have one more job to do and that’s our next game, which happens to be our Orleans game.” BLACKHAWKS 11, RAMS 0 SPRINGS VALLEY;|;PAOLI ;AB;R;H;BI;|;;AB;R;H;BI Buchanan ss;2;3;1;1;|;Walker 3b;1;0;0;0 Allen cf;4;1;1;1;|;Crews ss;2;0;0;0 Hickman p;2;0;1;2;|;A. Garcia p;2;0;0;0 Kluesner 1b;2;1;1;3;|;Fleming 2b;2;0;0;0 Rowlett lf;4;2;2;1;|;N. Garcia cf;2;0;0;0 Eckerty dh;2;1;2;1;|;Poe rf;2;0;0;0 Tucker rf;1;1;1;2;|;Gilliatt lf;2;0;0;0 Pantoja c;2;0;1;0;|;Burkhead dh;2;0;0;0 Bonta 2b;3;1;1;0;|;Key c;2;0;0;0 Marshall cr;0;1;0;0;|;Hall flex-1b;0;0;0;0 McNeely flex-3b;0;0;0;0;| Totals;22;11;11;11;|;Totals;16;0;0;0 Springs Valley (6-6);131;42—11 Paoli (1-11);000;00—0 E: Paoli 2, Springs Valley 1. LOB: Springs Valley 6, Paoli 2. 2B: Bonta, Tucker. 3B: Buchanan, Eckerty, Rowlett. SB: Allen, Eckerty, Hickman, Marshall, Tucker. SF: Buchanan, Hickman, Kluesner 2, Tucker. ;;IP;H;R;ER;BB;SO Springs Valley;Hickman (6-5);5.0;0;0;0;1;13 Paoli;A. Garcia (1-10);5.0;11;11;9;4;3 HBP: Pantoja (by A. Garcia).